Pre Season Round-Up: Liverpool in Asia

Kenny Dalglish and his Liverpool side, including new signing Charlie Adam, were given a fantastic welcome upon arrival in China. As they made their way to the team hotel, the players and staff were met with large Chinese Dragons, all of which were a very fitting bright red.

There was also a tremendous atmosphere in Guangdong for Liverpool‘s opening match of their tour, as The Reds faced local side Guangdong Sunray Cave, also on Wednesday.  The game’s opening goal came from an unlikely source, as Christian Poulsen volleyed in at back post following a cross from Joe Cole to give The Reds the lead.  David Ngog added a second, sliding under the keeper to give his side a cushion with just over twenty minutes played.  But a quick counter attack from the home side allowed them to pull a goal back just before half time, and the stadium erupted as Columbian Ricardo Steer bravely headed into the Liverpool net.


Highly rated youngster Conor Coady came off the bench at half time for the Anfield side, and the teenager added a third with fifteen minutes to go, before £35 million striker Andy Carroll, sporting a thick beard, made it 4-1 following a neat bit of interplay with Maxi Rodriguez.

The Chinese side then showed admirable courage, refusing to lie down, and Lu Lin, formerly of Sunray Cave’s city rivals Guangdong FC, curled in an impressive goal to reduce the deficit with just minutes remaining. Almost immediately after a third goal arrived, as Lu Lin laid the ball off in the Liverpool box for Yin Hongbo to despatch a powerful shot past the helpless Brad Jones. The final whistle blew moments later, bringing a seven goal thriller to an end, with Liverpool winning 4-3, but Sunray Cave’s pride well and truly still intact.

Laurie Dunsire