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Portugal World Cup midfielder RAUL MEIRELES of FC Liverpool, who has scored five goals in the last six Premier League games for the Reds, shields the ball from AC Sparta Prague’s Czech Republic midfielder MAREK MATEJOVSKY (8) at the former Letensky Stadion in the central European capital city. (Michal Cizek/AFP/Getty Images)
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UEFA Europa League
Round of 32
2/17/2010
0 – AC Sparta Prague (CZE)
0 – FC Liverpool (ENG)
The home side had the better of play but struggled to hit the target while the visiting team found it tough enough just to get players forward as traveling English Premier League outfit FC LIVERPOOL drew 0-0 with defending Gambrinus Liga champion AC SPARTA PRAGUE in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 knockout tie.
FC Liverpool are in the midst of a six-game domestic unbeaten streak featuring four victories in that span and Portugal World Cup midfielder RAUL MEIRELES, bought from FC Porto this past summer for 11.5 million English pounds, has transformed into a regular scoring machine after failing to record a single goal for the Reds under the stewardship of the departed ROY HODGSON.
All of that mattered little for returning manager KENNY DALGLISH’s group against AC Sparta Prague in the capital city of the Czech Republic, however.
According to the official website of the UEFA Europa League, the Reds were heavily outshot 12-2 by Sparta Prague — what’s worse, Liverpool could not even test the skills of Czech Republic international goalkeeper JAROMIR BLAZEK, the 38-year-old veteran who had a season with 1.FC Nuremberg in the German Bundesliga a few years back, one time.
Uruguay World Cup striker LUIS SUAREZ, who was recently purchased by the Reds from Dutch Eredivisie side Ajax Amsterdam for the reported transfer fee of 22.8 million English pounds and scored on his Premier League debut opposite Stoke City, is ineligible to compete in the UEFA Europa League for Liverpool.
The Reds are also still without its other major winter signing, England international striker ANDY CARROLL; the British record acquisition costing 35.0 million English pounds from Newcastle United has yet to make an appearance for his new club on account of a lingering thigh injury.
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FC Liverpool’s seldom-used England World Cup winger JOE COLE (10) jumps on the back of AC Sparta Prague’s new acquisition MARTIN BIHOLONG ABENA (38), the attacking midfielder signed from Slovak club FK DAC Dunajska Streda, during the UEFA Europa League match contested at the Generali Arena, long known as Letensky Stadion, in the capital city of the Czech Republic. (Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images)
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AC SPARTA PRAGUE : Blazek – Kusnir, Repka, Brabec, Pamic – Keric (Sionko 73′), Vacek, Matejovsky (Pekhart 90′), Kadlec (Zeman 89′) – Biholong Abena – Kweuke
FC LIVERPOOL : Reina – Johnson, Kyrgiakos, Carragher, Wilson – Aurelio (Cole 38′), Lucas – Kuyt, Meireles, Rodriguez – Ngog (Skrtel 83′)
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(Petr Josek/AP)
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(Petr Josek/Reuters)
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(Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images)
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(Petr Josek/Reuters)
