Exeter City 2-2 Liverpool – FA Cup 3rd Round – 8th December 2016
Jurgen Klopp’s hamstrung Liverpool escaped a shock defeat at St. James Park on Friday night, with the youthful visitors battling to a hard-fought 2-2 draw against League Two side Exeter.
Exeter started brightly and took the lead after just nine minutes, when Tom Nichols netted from close-range. That lead was to last only three minutes, with a mix-up in the Grecians’ backline letting Jerome Sinclair fire home. However, with Christian Benteke the only experienced player among the Reds’ starting 11, they struggled to click against an Exeter side eyeing an upset. And on the stroke of half-time, the Premier League side went behind again, with Lee Holmes’ superb corner sailing in over the (not for the first time this season) hapless Adam Bogdan…
“The keeper has made an awful mess!” Lee Holmes restores @OfficialECFC‘s lead direct from a corner. #EmiratesFACup https://t.co/lnvTdeDTjA
— BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) January 8, 2016
Just after the re-start, Benteke almost made it 2-2, only for ‘keeper Bobby Olejnik to produced a superb save from the Belgian’s bullet-header. Despite a goal down, Klopp resisted sending on seasoned sub Adam Lallana or Lucas Leiva. However, the equaliser did eventually come when Australian full-back Brad Smith fired home to bag the draw as Exeter tired.
An FA Cup replay is hardly what Klopp would have wanted, with the Anfield’s side’s current injury crisis. However, the German boss will surely be relieved to dodge a shock exit. As for dedicated follower of fashion Paul Tisdall and his Exeter side, they can look forward to juicy re-match at Anfield after a fine home display.
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(Highlights: Footytube)