Liverpool 1, Lazio 0 - Andriy hits winner as Keane makes home bow
Andriy Voronin struck a last-gasp winner to ensure Liverpool ended their pre-season preparations with a 1-0 win over Lazio at Anfield.
It was the perfect way to sign off ahead next week's Champions League and Barclays Premier League double header against Standard Liege and Sunderland, when the real business will get underway.
On a night when the Anfield faithful came out in force, Liverpool's first sight of goal came on nine minutes when Fernando Torres - back on home turf for the first time since his Euro 2008 winning exploits with Spain - drilled a ferocious 25-yard effort just over the crossbar.
It was the highlight of a bright start from Rafael Benitez's side, with the Reds boss using the clash with the Italians to give a first taste of L4 action to two of his new boys.
Andrea Dossena made a good impression down the left flank, pouring forward at every opportunity, while another man fulfilling a boyhood dream, Robbie Keane, saw his first shot at goal fly aimlessly wide after great link up play with Dirk Kuyt.
The home crowd's buoyant mood ahead of kick-off lifted to a crescendo of noise as they responded to this flurry of activity with the full repertoire of Anfield hymns; but despite all their efforts they could not inspire an early goal.
Torres could have changed that on 18 minutes but he delayed his shot when Yossi Benayoun presented him with a good opportunity in the Lazio box and the Spaniard was again left to rue his luck when he headed Xabi Alonso's centre well over Juan Pablo Carrizo's near post minutes later.
The visitors were struggling to provide any serious threat to Pepe Reina and co but could have snatched a surprise lead soon after when Stefan Mauri glanced a free header well wide of the Kop end net.
The first-half came and went without the breakthrough although an acrobatic volley from Yossi Benayoun should have seen Dirk Kuyt provide Liverpool with an interval lead on 44 minutes - but the striker somehow failed to connect with the ball as the goal lay gaping.
The second-half began in similar fashion to the first, with Liverpool on top and Kuyt again went close when his low effort from the right was well held by Carrizo after great play from Benayoun and Alvaro Arbeloa.
On 54 minutes the moment the Kop were craving nearly arrived but Keane lashed his effort just wide of the near post after an exquisite one-two with Kuyt sent him powering into the right-hand side of the penalty area.
For all Liverpool's dominance, the visitors remained a rare but very real threat on the counter attack and Stephen Ayodele Makinwa gave Reina a scare just shy of the hour mark when he guided a header just over the frame of the Spaniard's goal.
The excellent Xabi Alonso was next to try his luck with a 25-yard free-kick that deflected just wide of target while Daniel Agger brought a magnificent save out of Carrizo from the resulting corner.
Substitutes Pasquale Foggia and Mauro Zarate both warmed the fingertips of Reina before Voronin struck to snatch victory in stoppage time.
TEAMS
Liverpool: Reina, Dossena, Carragher (captain), Agger, Arbeloa, Benayoun, Alonso, Plessis, Kuyt, Torres, Keane. Subs - Hyypia, Ngog, Cavalieri, El Zhar, Voronin, Darby, Pennant, Insua, Finnan, Spearing, Nemeth
Lazio: Sorin, Radu, Siviglia (captain), Rozenhal, Lichsteiner, Matuzalem, Dabo, Mauri, Ledesma, Pandev, Makinwa. Subs - Zarate, Diakite, Tuia, Mendicino, Cinelli, Faraoni, Manfredini, Meghni, Foggia, Muslera
Referee: Andre Marriner
Conditions: Fine
Attendance: 43062
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Xabi Alonso
BREAKDOWN
19:14 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Lazio, who attack the Kop end first half, kick off at a packed Anfield
1 min : Xabi Alonso's name is echoing around the Kop...and it's followed by Robbie Keane's Father Ted number
2 mins : Kuyt wins a corner after a nice throughball from Yossi
2 mins : Cleared
4 mins : Class defending from Dossena and Agger
7 mins : Dossena finds Yossi with a tidy backheel but the Israeli is dispossessed
9 mins : Kuyt searches out Torres with a long ball but the Spaniard's low cross is cleared
9 mins : Torres shoots from 20 yards...over
13 mins : Corner...Alonso steps up...cleared at the near post
14 mins : Free-kick in a good area...it's effectively a corner...again it's cleared at the near post. Come on, Xabi
15 mins : Alonso spreads the ball to Keane out right...the number seven plays a one-two with Dirk before shooting over. Good play
17 mins : Brilliant ball by Plessis to Kuyt sets Liverpool on the attack but it comes to nothing
17 mins : Torres in the box...takes one touch too many but it's a corner
18 mins : Dossena takes it this time...it's better but again headed clear
19 mins : Arbeloa swings one in...Torres ducks to get his head on it but it's just over
21 mins : First real chance for Lazio as free-kick is swung in but Mauri heads the wrong side of the woodwork
23 mins : Free-kick for the visitors in a dangerous position...the ball's on it's way...was that a push by Alvaro? Could have been a pen, that, but no one seemed to see
26 mins : Dossena wins the wall back well...he's playing really well
27 mins : El Nino is through...no he's not - offside
28 mins : Keane drives it to Yossi...he cuts inside but can't find space to shoot...comes to Torres...wide. Offside anyway
31 mins : Good tackle by Dossena...he and Alonso have been top drawer
32 mins : Lichtsteiner slips theatrically, much to the amusement of Anfield
33 mins : Kuyt crosses towards Keane...he's beaten in the air
38 mins : Torres brought down in the box...the Lazio man got the ball - Anfield isn't happy with referee Andre Marriner, though
40 mins : Keane sets Torres free...he's felled in the box but again the ref says no. Would have been harsh
41 mins : Dossena is beaten for pace but no Lazio player is there to meet the low cross
44 mins : Play is stopped as two Lazio men are on the floor
45 mins : Yossi plays it in...it's bouncing...Kuyt must score...but the Dutch forward doesn't get a decent contact
20:01 GMT : Half Time Reached
20:17 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Substitution: David Ngog for Fernando Torres:
46 mins : Substitution: Mourad Meghni for Francelino Matuzalem:
46 mins : Substitution: Mauro Zarate for Stefano Mauri:
49 mins : Kuyt crosses but it's too long for Keane
49 mins : Great dribble from Yossi across the edge of the box...finds Alvaro, who beats a man before giving it to Kuyt. His shot is saved
51 mins : Corner to the Italians...flicked on...cleared
52 mins : Dirk looks hurt...he fell with the full back and got a boot in the eye...gonna be a shiner, that
54 mins : Keane sprints forwards...give and go to Kuyt...Kuyt gives it back...that could be it...weak effort in front of the Kop, who sing his name regardless
56 mins : Makinwa heads over
56 mins : Alonso corner is touched on to Agger but the Dane isn't expecting it
57 mins : Alonso wins a throw in by hassling the Lazio defence...the Kop sings his name once more - they love him more than Torres tonight
59 mins : Dirk puts Ngog through...his cross is blocked...it comes back to Dirk...his control takes it away from him
60 mins : Alonso fouled on the edge of the box
60 mins : He's gonna take it...25 yards out...deflected wide for a corner which the Spaniard will take
61 mins : The ball comes in...Kuyt must score...scuffs his shot...comes to Agger...scissor kicks it...good save
62 mins : Substitution: Pasquale Foggia for Goran Pandev:
62 mins : End to end stuff...Makinwa fires one towards goal and Reina has to tip it over
67 mins : Low cross by Zarate...cleared by Carra
69 mins : Substitution: Christian Manfredini for Ousmane Dabo:
71 mins : Fierce effort by substitute Foggia...well save by Pepe
74 mins : Substitution: Diego Cavalieri for Pepe Reina:
74 mins : Substitution: Sami Hyypia for Daniel Agger:
74 mins : Substitution: Emiliano Insua for Alvaro Arbeloa:
74 mins : Substitution: Nabil El Zhar for Yossi Benayoun:
75 mins : Substitution: Jay Spearing for Xabi Alonso:
75 mins : Substitution: Jay Spearing for Andrea Dossena:
81 mins : Substitution: Ettore Mendicino for Stephen Makinwa:
71 mins : Substitution: Krisztian Nemeth for David Ngog:
81 mins : Substitution: Andriy Voronin for Robbie Keane:
81 mins : Substitution: Steve Finnan for Jamie Carragher:
81 mins : Substitution: Krisztian Nemeth for Damien Plessis:
83 mins : Substitution: Mobido Diakite for Stephan Lichsteiner:
87 mins : Substitution: Marco Davide Faraoni for Stefan Radu:
88 mins : The game died about 15 minutes ago
89 mins : Substitution: Alessandro Tuia for Sebastiano Siviglia:
90 mins : Substitution: Antonio Cinelli for Cristian Daniel Ledesma:
90 mins : GOAL! Andriy Voronin:
21:08 GMT : Match Over
