Reds, Spurs draw blank in Baltimore

Fabio Borini made his first appearance in a Liverpool shirt as the Reds out played out a goalless draw in their friendly with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in Baltimore. Both sides have travelled to USA as part of their pre-season preparations, with Liverpool now heading home after drawing with Major League Soccer side Toronto FC last Saturday before losing 2-1 to Roma on Wednesday. For their part, Spurs began their tour with a 1-1 tie against Los Angeles Galaxy and complete their trio of fixtures at the New York Red Bulls on Tuesday. Brendan Rodgers and Andre Villas-Boas, who were both appointed as manager of their respective clubs earlier this year, used the encounter to introduce their new signings. Italian international Borini was given half an hour to impress by Rodgers following his recent move from Roma, while Gylfi Sigurdsson and Jan Vertonghen featured for Spurs. Played in stifling temperatures, the match lacked genuine opportunities, with Gareth Bale providing the only spark towards the end of the first half. The Welshman’s teasing cross found Aaron Lennon, but the diminutive winger could only hit the post from two yards out. The second period was no different, although it was the Reds who perhaps should have claimed a winner with 15 minutes to play. Jordan Henderson picked out Borini with a deep cross but the former Chelsea forward could not direct his finish past Brad Friedel. After the match, Rodgers told the club’s website: “I was very pleased first and foremost with today's game as the concentration and condition of the players was fantastic. In that heat, to keep that level of organisation and concentration at 35 degrees plus was fantastic. “When you have two teams who are tactically organised and have top players, they're always going to be tight games. I was particularly pleased with my team because of the chances we created, but what let us down was that final ball.” Pressing pleased Villas-Boas Villas-Boas told his club’s website: “It was good to see we managed to stay on their level fitness-wise and create good opportunities as well. Defensively we were very solid, compact and we pressed Liverpool high up the pitch. “From the first minute we managed to press them, create problems, recover balls, stay defensively compact and that signifies an improvement from what we did against LA Galaxy. This is the commitment that you want.” Liverpool have to navigate a UEFA Europa League qualifier before their league campaign begins at West Bromwich Albion on18 August, when Spurs kick off at Newcastle United. FIFA