Liverpool have rarely been worried by Saprissa for the first 45 minutes, and the goals from Crouch and Gerrard could easily have been added to. Despite being the type of player to attract groans from many Reds fans, even Josemi has looked comfortable.
Liverpool will no doubt work on keeping the clean-sheet record going now in the second half.
Liverpool 2 Saprissa 0
Crouch 3
Gerrard 32
Teams:
Deportivo Saprissa: Porras, Cordero, Ronald Gonzalez, Jervis Drummond, Badilla, Bennett, Bolanos, Centeno, Azofeifa, Gomez, Saborio.
Subs: Parks, Aleman, Brenes, Solis, Esquivel, Nunez, Phillip, Lopez, Fausto Gonzalez, Gerald Drummond, Navas, Fonseca.
Booked: Azofeifa 29.
Liverpool: Reina, Josemi, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore, Gerrard, Sissoko, Alonso, Riise, Crouch, Cisse.
Subs: Dudek, Warnock, Finnan, Kewell, Luis Garcia, Sinama Pongolle, Carson, Hamann, Morientes.