Lucas finish heaven sent
MIRACLE is slightly overstating it, but the last time Lucas scored the Pope came to Britain. Last night, Liverpool were just thankful he proved their saviour against a spirited Plymouth side.
September 16, 2010, marked the start of a four-day visit by Pope Benedict XVI and last night Liverpool supporters were praising the heavens for the Brazilian’s unlikely intervention, long before Divock Origi’s late missed penalty had them begging for the last rites to be called on this traditional cup classic.
For all the talk that replays in the FA Cup have had their day, there was that metallic smell of magic in the air on the south coast last night. Sport has always struggled to gain much of a recognised foothold in the West Country but on the flip side to the Spanish Armada failing to bring a halt to Sir Francis Drake’s game of bowls, Liverpool’s arrival seemed to have shut down Plymouth completely.
In the all-but-empty town centre, everybody was either heading to Home Park for the game or sat indoors following events from the sofa. It had been one of those unseasonably beautiful days in Devon – brilliant clear blue skies belying in the chill in the air.
But fans would have to gaze upwards to see more than a couple of stars as night fell – the only ones present when Jurgen Klopp handed in his team-sheet were the actionshy Daniel Sturridge, Lucas and Philippe Coutinho, back in the side after picking up an ankle injury in November.
The Liverpool manager had watched the youngest-ever Liverpool team in history fail to break down a defenceminded League Two outfit in the first match at Anfield 10 days earlier, but had trusted in many of the youngsters to do better this time around.
With the Reds potentially only 90 hard-fought minutes away from a League Cup final, perhaps the hunt for silverware is not so intense as it might be. But there was no doubt that the whole of Plymouth would still see it as a giant scalp if they could somehow create an upset.
With £120 exchanging hands locally for tickets to the sellout fixture, the home crowd were certainly determined to have a good time.
Appropriately enough, Argyle started in positive enough fashion, forcing an early corner. But it was not long before Liverpool finally broke the stalemate in this tie.
A corner from Coutinho in the 18th minute was whipped in with pace and Lucas headed in at the near post. The 5ft 8in Brazilian can cast his mind back a long way since he last scored an easier header and you have to go back to September 2010 for Lucas’ last goal, against Steaua Bucharest 2,316 days earlier.
Plymouth fans kept up the singing and carried on believing
as their heroes rallied. Paul Arnold Garita’s stumbling shot that wrong-footed Loris Karius could easily have crept inside the post instead of outside it, but despite Plymouth’s enterprise, Klopp’s men were able to make it to the sanctuary of their dressing room with their slender lead intact.
For all their dominance of opponents in League Two this season, when faced by Premier League opposition they are clearly better suited to defending. Although in Karius, they appeared to have met their match.
Liverpool’s German goalkeeper seemed able to bridge the gulf in class with his ham-fisted half-clearances and fumbling attempts to intercept crosses. But his luck held.
The crucial point came 16 minutes from time. Jake Jervis found space in the heart of the understandably nervous Liverpool defence and threw himself into a scissor-kick from 12 yards which flew against the outside of the post. So close to a famous FA Cup moment.
Origi should have sealed the win late on for the Reds when an exuberant challenge from Yann Songo’o had the referee pointing to the spot, but his effort was comfortably saved.
In the end, Liverpool were happy just to escape from Plymouth unscathed That is not to say, though, that they did not sail close to the wind.