Liverpool began their US Tour on Wednesday evening in Boston at the home of the Red Sox vs. Roma with a 1-0 loss.
The energy was electric before the game, with even a mock-up of the famous Shankly gates draped outside the famous Fenway Park. For the second time in three years Fenway played host to a Liverpool vs. Roma game – the connection between Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) and Roma investors sure to be the connection arranging the fixture once more.
Thousands of Liverpool fans lived their dreams watching Liverpool as they took on Roma but sadly the dream would have no happy ending as a late goal game Roma the win. There were limited chances for both sides until Borriello volleyed in a corner from in front of goal in the final minute of the game.
The game began with on the front foot with assured passing from several key players such as Lucas and especially Joe Allen. Liverpool, who are a week ahead of Roma in terms of pre-season conditioning, settled in a rhythm quickly but continually lacked any decisive edge which they were so well associated with last season.
It wasn’t long before the first bit of bad news hit the Liverpool fans when the wanted striker Fabio Borini and injured his shoulder following a collusion with an opposition player. Borini, who is subject to a £14million pound offer from Sunderland is currently ‘reviewing his options’, though any chance of serious injury now could scupper the deal.
“It’s probably not as bad as first thought," Rodgers said in a post-match press conference. “He's had problems in the past with his shoulder, but he's only bruised it”.
When Borini went off due to injury Liverpool fans were treated with an extended viewing of their new German midfield acquisition Emre Can who recently arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £10million. Quickly Can imposed himself upon the game displaying an impressive array of physicality and technical ability to generally look the dominant figure in midfield.
The best chance of the half though didn’t fall to Liverpool, but to the effervescent Francesco Totti. Some neat interplay down Roma’s left hand side saw Ashley Cole get to the by-line where he crossed to Totti. The cross though arrived at an awkward height, in which Totti could neither strike the ball properly with his foot or head. The ball went wide to the relief of a packed Fenway Park full of Liverpool fans.
The second half began with Liverpool once again on the front foot, with Emre Can particularly impressing. There was more life to the contest after the break and another Liverpool signing, Rickie Lambert, went close to opening the scoring, as he tested Lukasz Skorupski from just inside the area, with the Polish goalkeeper just up to the task.
Multiple substitutions then disrupted the flow of the match, but Roma forward Antonio Sanabria almost struck when he forced Jones into a save down low to his right in the 89th minute.
Now Liverpool play Olympiacos on Sunday with an 11pm kick off.