Liverpool beat Roma 2-1

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Michael Owen scored with five minutes remaining to give Liverpool a 2-1 victory over AS Roma on Tuesday night in the final match for both teams on their US exhibition tour. Marco Delvecchio gave Roma the lead in the 21st minute, converting an easy chance after getting a cross from Cristian Panucci that deflected off the back of Liverpool defender and into the Italian forward's pass six metres in front of the goal. Liverpool tied the contest when Stephen Gerrard stole the ball from Oliver Dacourt at the top of Roma's defensive third and sent the ball forward to defender John Arne Riise on a play that Riise and Cisse both appeared to be offside. Roma defense collapses With the rest of the Roma defense stopping, goalkeeper Carlo Zotti came out to challenge Riise, who squared the ball to Cisse to score into an open net. Owen, who entered the game to start the second half, scored from about 15 metres after Dieter Hamann forced Roma to turn over the ball near the top of the penalty area. The ball squirted free to the right side, where Owen ran onto it and struck it past Zotti. Liverpool next faces Austrian club AK Graz on August 10 in the third qualifying round of the European Champions League before beginning the English Premier League season on August 14. Roma's league season begins September 12 with the group phase of the Champions League set for September 14-15. (AP)