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Football

Own goal hands Liverpool victory


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Liverpool won with an own goal after Baros put Depor under pressure

LA CORUNA, Spain (Reuters) -- An own goal by defender Jorge Andrade gave Liverpool a valuable 1-0 win over a toothless Deportivo Coruna in a Champions League Group A match on Wednesday.

The Portuguese center back turned the ball into his own net in the 14th minute under pressure from Liverpool striker Milan Baros after Norwegian midfielder John Arne Riise had swept in a low cross from the left.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said his team turned in a near-perfect performance, re-igniting their bid for a place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a valuable 1-0 win at Deportivo Coruna.

"This was one of the best Liverpool performances I've seen since I took over," said former Valencia coach Rafa Benitez who moved to Anfield in the summer.

"We were very solid at the back and looked good on the break. This was an important step forward for us because we needed these three points."

Depor, who had not scored in any of their previous group matches, threw men forward in search of the equalizer but were unable to break their duck.

The result leaves Liverpool in second place in the group, level on seven points with leaders Olympiakos, who beat Monaco 1-0 at home.

Depor, who reached the semifinals last season, are rooted to the bottom of the table on two points and now have little chance of making it to the next phase.

Liverpool had a gilt-edged opportunity to snatch the lead straight from the kickoff when Baros beat the offside trap and found himself alone in front of goal.

But Depor keeper Jose Molina reacted sharply to smother the ball as he entered the area.

The visitors gradually grew in confidence and took the lead on 14 minutes after some powerful play by Igor Biscan in midfield.

The Croatian shrugged off several challenges as he strode forward towards the Depor area, pushed the ball out wide to Riise on the left and the Norwegian's cross was turned into the net by Andrade as he was pressured by the waiting Baros.

Schurrer strikes

A goal six minutes from time from Argentine central defender Gabriel Schurrer gave Olympiakos victory over last year's beaten finalists Monaco.

Olympiakos had the better of a tepid first half during which Monaco, in spite of their coach Didier Deschamps' pre-match assertion that they had come to attack, did not register a single shot on goal.

The home side fared little better with their best attempts both coming from Rivaldo, a well-struck volley that flew over the bar and a direct free kick that was safely held by Flavio Roma in the Monaco goal.

The tempo picked up considerably in the second half as Olympiakos went in search of the crucial first goal.

On the hour Giovanni hit the post with a free kick and shortly afterwards his replacement Nery Alberto Castillo was denied a penalty when he was brought down by Gael Givet.

Just as the Olympiakos fans were beginning to despair of seeing a goal, Schurrer broke the deadlock.

A free kick from Grigoris Georgatos was flicked across the six-yard box by Rivaldo, leaving Schurrer to crash it into the net and claim the points.


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