csconstantine.com

PRAGUE (AP)—Liverpool was close to reaching the round of 16 of the Europa League by drawing with Sparta Prague 0-0 on Thursday.

The result left Liverpool a clear favorite for the second leg of the round of 32 match at Anfield in a week.

Sparta played its first competitive match since Dec 15 due to the Czech Republic’s winter break, and looked more dangerous, especially in the first half.

Liverpool, badly missing its injured star playmaker and captain Steven Gerrard, had to wait for a decent chance until the 70th minute when right back Glen Johnson, one of the team’s most active players, fooled a couple of Sparta defenders before his curling shot went just wide.

“It was a difficult game,” Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said. “We rather were more defensive.

“As a manager that was fantastic,” added Dalglish, who was managing Liverpool in Europe for the first time.

He said the team’s performance was influenced by the fact he missed a number of players, including Daniel Agger and Christian Poulsen while Fabio Aurelio had to be replaced by Joe Cole due to an injury in the 37th minute.

Dalglish said it would be “a different game” next week and didn’t ruled out Gerard, Agger and Aurelio could be available.

As a positive sign, Dalglish hailed Cole’s return after a knee problem.

“We have to be patient,” he said. “Joe’s a valuable asset for us.”

Unmarked Sparta midfielder Leony Kweuke came close to earning a win for Sparta but his low drive from inside the area was saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

“It was not easy for us because we didn’t play for more than two months,” Sparta coach Josef Chovanec said. “We were trying to do our maximum.

“We may have had better chances but it was defense that dominated the game.”

Early in the second half, Kweuke’s header again went wide. Long-range attempts by Marek Matejovsky and Kamil Vacek then just missed the target.

Sparta’s first decent chance came in the 18th with Manuel Pamic breaking into the area after being released by Abena Biholong and his left-footer forced a diving save by Reina. Pamic blasting the ball over the bar in the 35th.

At that stage, Liverpool’s only answer came through lone striker David Ngog, who had a shot blocked and a header missing the goal a minute before halftime.

The match was briefly suspended about 15 minutes before the end when Sparta fans let off a smoke bomb.

Labels: draws, Europa, league, Liverpool, Sparta