Red Devil
Aug 2 2002, 09:26 PM
MADRID, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Goals from Luis Figo and Javier Portillo earned Real Madrid a comfortable 2-0 win over Liverpool in the opening match of a four-team pre-season tournament at the Bernabeu on Friday.
Figo threaded in a shot from outside the area five minutes before halftime for the first and substitute striker Portillo settled the game with a neat finish on the hour mark.
Both sides were missing key players, with Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard absent for Liverpool and Real resting the likes of Raul, Fernando Hierro and Roberto Carlos.
Real were still able to call on Zinedine Zidane and Figo, however, and the past and present world players of the year provided the game's only quality. Figo provided Zidane with the first chance for Real 20 minutes in, racing down the touchline and pulling the ball back for the French midfielder to send a shot against the post.
Liverpool's Polish keeper Jerzy Dudek pushed another Zidane effort over the bar a few minutes later and also saved long-range shots from Savio and Figo before the latter opened the scoring.
The Portuguese international took the ball in from the right side of midfield and side-footed a shot through the legs of Stephane Henchoz and just inside the far post.
Liverpool improved slightly after the break and Emile Heskey should have got the equaliser as he raced onto a quick Bruno Cheyrou pass only for Cesar to deny him from close range.
The English side created little else, though, and Portillo made the game safe when he showed a cool head to take a Zidane through ball in his stride and slide a shot past Dudek.
Real, who arranged the tournament as part of their centenary celebrations, will go on to face the winner's of Saturday's match between AC Milan and Bayer Munich in the final on Sunday. Liverpool will take on the losers.
Figo threaded in a shot from outside the area five minutes before halftime for the first and substitute striker Portillo settled the game with a neat finish on the hour mark.
Both sides were missing key players, with Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard absent for Liverpool and Real resting the likes of Raul, Fernando Hierro and Roberto Carlos.
Real were still able to call on Zinedine Zidane and Figo, however, and the past and present world players of the year provided the game's only quality. Figo provided Zidane with the first chance for Real 20 minutes in, racing down the touchline and pulling the ball back for the French midfielder to send a shot against the post.
Liverpool's Polish keeper Jerzy Dudek pushed another Zidane effort over the bar a few minutes later and also saved long-range shots from Savio and Figo before the latter opened the scoring.
The Portuguese international took the ball in from the right side of midfield and side-footed a shot through the legs of Stephane Henchoz and just inside the far post.
Liverpool improved slightly after the break and Emile Heskey should have got the equaliser as he raced onto a quick Bruno Cheyrou pass only for Cesar to deny him from close range.
The English side created little else, though, and Portillo made the game safe when he showed a cool head to take a Zidane through ball in his stride and slide a shot past Dudek.
Real, who arranged the tournament as part of their centenary celebrations, will go on to face the winner's of Saturday's match between AC Milan and Bayer Munich in the final on Sunday. Liverpool will take on the losers.