Liverpool lost central defender Martin Skrtel to a hamstring injury in today's 1–1 draw with Thailand in a pre-season friendly. The Slovak international came on as a half-time substitute but lasted only 10 minutes on a rain-soaked afternoon before grabbing the top of his right hamstring and walking gingerly off the field.
Nabil El Zhar came off soon after with an injured right knee after attempting a bicycle kick. The club's medical staff are assessing the players but the Liverpool manager, Rafael Benítez, admitted his disappointment at the injuries. "They were not the best conditions here today and the worst thing was to lose Skrtel and El Zhar. The idea of the game was to improve match fitness, so to lose two players is bad news," he told the club's official website.
The midfielder Xabi Alonso, subject of intense transfer speculation about a move to Real Madrid, did not make an appearance. Fernando Torres made his first appearance of the pre-season, coming on for the latter stages of the second half.
Liverpool's starting team contained five regular first-team players: Jamie Carragher, Dirk Kuyt, Lucas Leiva, Ryan Babel and Daniel Agger. The opening goal came in the sixth minute as Carragher played a long ball into the path of Babel, who outpaced the defence, controlled the ball and slotted past the goalkeeper. But Liverpool looked rusty, struggling to combine effectively in the attacking half. Babel volleyed another long pass wide and had another effort stopped by the goalkeeper.
Thailand's equaliser came in the 72nd minute as substitute Sutee Suksomkit played a neat one-two and calmly placed his shot past the onrushing substitute goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi.
Liverpool changed 10 players at the break, with their new signing Glen Johnson coming on and playing in an unfamiliar left-back position, while Javier Mascherano and Andriy Voronin were among those also given a run-out in the second half.
Nabil El Zhar came off soon after with an injured right knee after attempting a bicycle kick. The club's medical staff are assessing the players but the Liverpool manager, Rafael Benítez, admitted his disappointment at the injuries. "They were not the best conditions here today and the worst thing was to lose Skrtel and El Zhar. The idea of the game was to improve match fitness, so to lose two players is bad news," he told the club's official website.
The midfielder Xabi Alonso, subject of intense transfer speculation about a move to Real Madrid, did not make an appearance. Fernando Torres made his first appearance of the pre-season, coming on for the latter stages of the second half.
Liverpool's starting team contained five regular first-team players: Jamie Carragher, Dirk Kuyt, Lucas Leiva, Ryan Babel and Daniel Agger. The opening goal came in the sixth minute as Carragher played a long ball into the path of Babel, who outpaced the defence, controlled the ball and slotted past the goalkeeper. But Liverpool looked rusty, struggling to combine effectively in the attacking half. Babel volleyed another long pass wide and had another effort stopped by the goalkeeper.
Thailand's equaliser came in the 72nd minute as substitute Sutee Suksomkit played a neat one-two and calmly placed his shot past the onrushing substitute goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi.
Liverpool changed 10 players at the break, with their new signing Glen Johnson coming on and playing in an unfamiliar left-back position, while Javier Mascherano and Andriy Voronin were among those also given a run-out in the second half.
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