Ngog double gives Roy perfect start
RABOTNICKI (0) vs LIVERPOOL (2)
LIVERPOOL striker David Ngog struck twice to get Roy Hodgson’s reign as manager off to a winning start in Macedonia.
Ngog pounced on a defensive error after 18 minutes to put a callow Reds side ahead and volleyed a second before the hour.
“Ngog has done well in all the games he has played for me,” said Hodgson. “Tonight he crowned his performance with two goals and that’s what strikers need to do.”
Hodgson was forced to name a team missing 10 of his tired World Cup stars, including Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, for the third qualifying round, first leg fixture.
There was no doubting Ngog’s sharpness, however, with the Frenchman who scored eight times last season going some way to equalling that in just 90 minutes.
The 21-year-old began the first double of his Liverpool career by capitalising on a defensive slip to poke past goalkeeper Martin Bogatinov. Ngog then sealed victory when full-back Martin Kelly made space to cross from the right and the forward stroked home a classy near-post volley.