Liverpool Tekuk Newcastle 2-1, Gelar Juara Tetap Melayang
Liverpool Fight Back to Beat Toon, but Damage was Already Done
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
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Liverpool (B2B) - Dua gol yang berasal dari skema tendangan bebas, membawa Liverpool membalikkan keadaan sekaligus mengalahkan Newcastle United 2-1 dalam laga penutup Liga Utama Inggris 2013-2014 di Anfield, Minggu.
Dua gol balasan Liverpool, dicetak oleh pemain belakang Daniel Agger di menit ke-63 dan penyerang Daniel Sturridge di menit ke-65, untuk membalikkan keadaan menjadi 2-1 setelah lebih dulu tertinggal akibat gol bunuh diri pemain belakang Martin Skrtel di menit ke-20.
Kapten tim Steven Gerrad menjadi algojo dua tendangan bebas yang berbuah gol tersebut, kedua gol itu bahkan hampir terjadi dengan skema serupa yakni mengirim ke tiang jauh, seperti dilansir Yahoo Sports.
Meski demikian, Liverpool gagal memanfaatkan keunggulan jumlah pemain untuk memperbesar keunggulan, mengingat sejak menit ke-65 Newcastle bermain dengan 10 pemain akibat kartu merah yang diterima Shola Ameobi dan bahkan hanya tersisa sembilan pemain saja setelah pemain pengganti Paul Dummett diusir wasit di menit ke-87.
Meskipun Liverpool berhasil meraih kemenangan, hasil itu tidak mengubah kedudukan mereka dalam perburuan gelar juara, mengingat di pertandingan lain Manchester City menang 2-0 atas tim tamu West Ham United di Etihad berkat gol dari Samir Nasri dan Vincent Kompany.
Manchester City berhasil keluar sebagai Juara Liga Inggris 2013-2014 dengan memuncaki klasemen lewat perolehan 86 poin sedangkan Liverpool berada di urutan kedua dengan 84 poin.
Pun demikian, pencapaian The Reds musim ini tergolong baik, mengingat musim lalu mereka berakhir di peringkat tujuh klasemen.
Selain itu, Liverpool yang di jendela transfer musim dingin Januari lalu tidak berhasil mendapatkan satu orang pun pemain baru, sukses mencapai target utama mereka musim ini, yakni lolos ke Liga Champions Eropa musim 2014-2015.
Mengakhiri musim sebagai penghuni peringkat dua, membuat Liverpool berhak langsung melangkah ke fase grup Liga Champions musim depan.
Liverpool - Liverpool's bid to snatch the Premier League title on the final day of the season ended in frustration despite a 2-1 win over nine-man Newcastle on Sunday.
Brendan Rodgers' side needed to beat the Magpies at Anfield and hope West Ham could upset leaders Manchester City at Eastlands if they were to land the English league crown for the first time since 1990.
But, although they came from behind to win, Liverpool were left with an empty feeling as City cruised to a 2-0 victory that guaranteed they would finish two points ahead of the second placed Reds.
In the end, Liverpool were left to rue the costly mistakes that realistically meant their fate had already been sealed by a defeat against Chelsea and a draw at Crystal Palace in their previous two games.
When Newcastle deservedly led with more than an hour gone through Martin Skrtel's first half own-goal it looked as though Liverpool's challenge would end in even further anti-climax.
But Rodgers insisted his team should feel nothing but pride from a campaign in which he described their progress as "nothing short of outstanding".
And Liverpool responded one more time to score twice in as many minutes to sign off with a 16th home win as Newcastle finished in disarray following the double sending-off of Shola Ameobi and Paul Dummett.
Daniel Agger forced home the equaliser and from another Steven Gerrard free-kick Daniel Sturridge tapped home the winner.
Under-fire Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is due to meet club owner Mike Ashley now the season has ended to discuss the future, but at least his troubled team did not follow the anticipated script by meekly surrendering on the final day.
