Liverpool defeat Bordeaux

France:

Peter Crouch scored for Liverpool in the 58th minute to beat Bordeaux in a Champions League match on Wednesday. The win gave Liverpool seven points and kept it atop Group C ahead of PSV Eindhoven on goals scored. Bordeaux were last with only one point. PSV Eindhoven won 2-1 over Galatasaray on Wednesday, leaving the Turkish club with one point also. Crouch converted a header for his third goal in the competition so far. Liverpool was missing captain Steven Gerrard with a hamstring injury, and striker Robbie Fowler sat out with a sore back. Bordeaux struggled to create clear chances and playmaker Johan Micoud again had a disappointing match. The defeat means coach Ricardo's Bordeaux team has won only five of 12 matches in all competitions this season. Good start Liverpool started brightly and striker Craig Bellamy forced a save from Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Rame in the seventh minute. Bellamy was Liverpool's most active player in the opening 20 minutes as the visitors sought to counter Bordeaux. Bordeaux's best chance of the first-half fell to Micoud, but his header was just wide. Crouch failed on what appeared to be a promising chance for Liverpool from just six meters, his tame shot failing to trouble Rame. The goalkeeper denied Crouch again after he ran onto a pass from Xabi Alonso in the 40th. With Liverpool dominating, Luis Garcia forced Rame into another save moments before Crouch scored. With Bordeaux appearing short of ideas in attack, manager Ricardo Gomes replaced defender Franck Jurietti with striker Marouane Chamakh, and his towering header from Brazilian Wendel's cross went wide in the 70th. Micoud and Chamakh also had shots, but both were wide, while substitutes Stephen Warnock and Dirk Kuyt went close in the final moments for Liverpool. (AP)