BABEL ON TARGET IN THAILAND DRAW

Ryan Babel scored Liverpool's first goal of the pre-season as we were held to a 1-1 draw by Thailand in the Rajamangala National Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

The Dutchman looked to have set the Reds on the road to victory with a neat first-half finish until Sutee stunned Rafael Benitez's men with a late equaliser.
 
Ahead of the match the players were introduced to Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the delay in kick-off seemed to affect the Reds' concentration, with Diego Cavalieri almost gifting the hosts a dream start on two minutes.
 
Datsakorn Thonglao looked all set to open the scoring when he seized upon the Brazilian stopper's miskicked clearance, but with the goal at his mercy, the Thai skipper somehow contrived to hit a tame 30-yard effort wide of target to let Liverpool off the hook.
 
It was an opportunity Peter Reid's men were left ruing just five minutes later as the Reds broke forward to score courtesy of the lively Babel.
 
Jamie Carragher's long ball down the middlw found the Dutchman through on goal and after taking a touch away from the defender he coolly slotted past Kosin Hathairattanakool.
 
Rafael Benitez spoke glowingly about the Holland international during the welcome press conference on Monday afternoon and the young forward was a threat throughout, almost doubling his tally on 12 minutes, but this time the Thai stopper made a fine save with his feet.
 
Having struggled to create openings in their previous two encounters, Liverpool were suddenly making chances at will, with Krisztian Nemeth left frustrated by a poor final touch after he had slalomed his way past two defenders.
 
On the half hour mark Dirk Kuyt dragged a shot from the edge of the box just wide while the closest the hosts came to levelling was from a Thonglao free-kick that curved well over the top of Cavalieri's goal.
 
Kuyt then crossed for Babel on 45 minutes but his compatriot could not quite stretch enough to double the Reds' lead at the interval.
 
In keeping with the preparations for the new season, Benitez made 10 changes during the break with Babel the only first-half performer to return.
 
Early injuries to substitutes Nabil El Zhar and Martin Skrtel disrupted the pattern of play and after a second period of little goalmouth action the hosts stunned Liverpool with a well taken equaliser from Sutee on 72 minutes.
 
The Thai forward showed great composure to fire the ball beyond Peter Gulacsi after he had created the opening with a brilliant one-two.
 
The Spain quartet of Albert Riera, Pepe Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa and Fernando Torres all made their first appearances of pre-season as late substitutes but, try as they might, the Reds could not find that elusive winning goal.

Teams

Thailand: Hathairattanakool, Saiwaeo, Phanrit, Samana, Sukha, Vachiraban, Nuchnum, Sukha, Viwatchaichok, Dangda, Thonglao (c). Subs - Boonmatoon, Choeichiu, Kawin, Lahso, Lang, Rangsiyo, Rawangpa, Sunthornpit, Sutee, Winothai,
 
Liverpool: Cavalieri, Insua, Agger, Carragher (c), Degen, Babel, Leiva, Plessis, Kuyt, Nemeth, Ngog. Subs - Arbeloa, Dossena, El Zhar, Johnson, Mascherano, Pacheco, Riera, Skrtel, Spearing, Torres, Voronin
 
Referee: Unavailable
 
Conditions: Unavailable
 
Attendance: Unavailable
 
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Ryan Babel

Breakdown

13:26 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Nemeth and Ngog kick off in Thailand
1 min : Within 30 seconds the young Hungarian tries to feed the young Frenchman in the box - but the latter commits a foul
2 mins : Mis-kick from Diego...the Thai skipper missed an open goal from 30 yards...it dribbled wide
3 mins : The crowd loving a Maradona spin from Babel
4 mins : Cross from Dirk down the right but it's headed clear
6 mins : GOAL! Ryan Babel: Carra plays it through the Thai defence, Babel takes a touch before slotting past the keeper. Our first goal of pre-season
11 mins : Good save from Diego to deny Dangda but the Thai striker was offside anyway
14 mins : Firm tackle from Plessis, who's be out to impress
14 mins : Doc Waller dishing the water out. It's so humid here
15 mins : Nemeth dancing round the tie defence but he doesn't open his body - wanted it on his right foot when left might have been easier
15 mins : Thai defence...
17 mins : Three of this Thai team spent six months at Man City when they were taken over - none made the grade
19 mins : Ngog pokes one through to Nemeth but it's much too heavy
20 mins : Superb ball from Lucas and Babel will be disappointed with his volleyed finish which flew wide
22 mins : Quality interception from Carra
22 mins : Nemeth and Babel have swapped positions, with the Hungary starlet coming out to the left
23 mins : Strong play from Damien in midfield
24 mins : Peter Reid screaming at his players..."Tighter, tighter"
25 mins : The Thai goalkeeper is winded after a collision with Ngog
25 mins : ... Rafa is taking the opportunity to give Nemeth some instructions
31 mins : Kuyt skews a shot...but the ball comes back to him...he's dragged it wide
32 mins : Agger finds Babel with a lovely ball down field...but the Dutchman's cross is too long for Dirk
34 mins : No nonsense defending from Danny Agger...good to see him back
35 mins : Degen is in a brilliant position in the box but the ball's on his left foot...never mind
37 mins : Dangda tries a Beckham-esque free-kick but it curls over Diego's goal
38 mins : Agger gives it away but he recovers to smash it away
42 mins : Our Dutch duo combine but Kuyt's ball back is too long for Babel and the chance is gone
43 mins : Dirk snatches possession in the box...chips it over the keeper towards Babel but it's just too high
44 mins : Plessis headers just over from a dead ball
44 mins : The players' shirts are dripping wet with sweat
14:13 GMT : Half Time Reached
14:33 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Substitution: Glen Johnson for Emiliano Insua:
46 mins : Substitution: Martin Skrtel for Jamie Carragher:
46 mins : Substitution: Daniel Pacheco for David Ngog:
46 mins : Substitution: Andriy Voronin for Krisztian Nemeth:
46 mins : Substitution: Nabil El Zhar for Dirk Kuyt:
46 mins : Substitution: Jay Spearing for Damien Plessis:
46 mins : Substitution: Javier Mascherano for Lucas Leiva:
46 mins : San Jose on for Agger
46 mins : Gulacsi on for Cavalieri
46 mins : Kelly on for Degen
46 mins : First Booking: Surat Sukha:
55 mins : Substitution: Andrea Dossena for Martin Skrtel:
56 mins : Skrtel looks like he could have a hamstring injury
58 mins : Substitution: Alvaro Arbeloa for Nabil El Zhar:
58 mins : El Zhar also injured...
60 mins : Torres is warming up...
61 mins : Good defensive header from San Jose
63 mins : Fierce first-time shot from Masch is fisted away
68 mins : Babel tries to release Pacheco but the ball just runs away from our Spanish whiz kid
69 mins : Sukha tries one from the edge of the box but it's over
71 mins : Jay Spearing can try one here if he gets the ball from under his feet...it's well wide
72 mins : GOAL! Panupong Sutee:
76 mins : Liverpool needed a sweeper on to look after Sutee there...
77 mins : Dossena rides a challenge before getting a shot in but it's comfortable for the keeper
78 mins : Reina on for Gulacsi
79 mins : Riera getting frustrated with the fourth official - he's waiting to come on
80 mins : Substitution: Albert Riera for Ryan Babel:
80 mins : Substitution: Fernando Torres for Daniel Pacheco:
81 mins : Torres almost takes on the entire Thai back four with his first touch...what an impact
82 mins : Voronin through...oh, he drills wide. Should have scored
84 mins : It's now chucking it down here...
85 mins : Brilliant touch from Torres but he's sandwiched between two defenders and the ball gets away...unlucky
86 mins : El Nino is looking at the big screen to see the replay and if that was a pen
88 mins : Voronin cross is headed wide by Torres, who has been a class above anyone on the pitch since he came on
89 mins : First Booking: Javier Mascherano:
89 mins : Johnson stretches to keep it in...comes to Voronin...but his cross is way too hard for Torres to control
90 mins : Johnson pings one towards goal after cutting back onto his right foot...wasn't far away
15:20 GMT : Match Over