Portsmouth 2 Liverpool 0

The Premier League match between Portsmouth and Liverpool at Fratton Park on Saturday Dec 19 2009.

Liverpool’s crisis continued at Fratton Park where they suffered another damaging defeat to bottom club Portsmouth and had Javier Mascherano sent-off for the second time this season.

Nadir Behaldj, the Algerian who will face England in the World Cup, struck the decisive first-half goal to stun Liverpool, who lost Mascherano for a challenge on Portsmouth’s Tal Ben-Haim before half-time.

And with eight minutes left Frederic Piquionne was allowed an easy second goal to hand Liverpool their seventh Premier League defeat of the season before Christmas.

Liverpool were without Alberto Aquilani, with a calf strain, but Fernando Torres returned after starting from the bench on Wednesday when he scored the winner against Wigan.

Jamie Carragher was making his 600th appearance for Liverpool but, having seen clean sheets in his 100th, 200th, 300th, 400th and 500th games that record was ruined before half time when Belhadj scored an outstanding goal.

Kevin-Prince Boateng’s well struck volley was met with an equally impressive save by Pepe Reina but the clearance, from former Portsmouth defender Glen Johnson, fell to Belhadj near the by-line from where he dispatched a marvellous right-footed volley into the roof of the Liverpool net.

Prior to the 33rd minute goal Portsmouth had squandered chances with Boateng, Jamie O’Hara and Hassan Yebda all wasting opportunities, while Torres was inches from connecting with a Steven Gerrard cross in front of Portsmouth’s goal.

Liverpool had the chance, six minutes from the interval, to equalise when from Gerrard’s floated free-kick Daniel Agger was well-placed but succeeded only in heading over.

And in the 42nd minute Andrea Dossena caught Portsmouth’s Tal Ben Haim and as he fell Javier Mascherano followed up and with a second foul while also appearing to catch the Israeli around the head with an arm. And after consulting with his assistant, and with the Argentine still being treated, referee Lee Mason showed Mascherano the red card.

It was Mascherano’s second red card of the season – following his last minute dismissal against Manchester United in October – and means he will miss four crucial games over the busy Christmas period.

The second half showed little improvement from Liverpool, whose confidence had seemingly evaporated in the winter sunshine.

Rafa Benitez brought on Yossi Benayoun early in the second half but it made little improvement and Torres, searching for his 50th Liverpool goal, was a shade lucky not to be sent off when, having already received a yellow card, he appeared to catch Ben Haim in the face with an arm.

Portsmouth, though, were saved in the 67th minute when Gerrard’s shot deflected Hermann Hreidarsson but goalkeeper Asmir Begovic made a remarkable save to deny Liverpool.

Begovic made another outstanding stop when, from a Torres effort, the ball span off a defender before the goalkeeper tipped it to safety.

With Liverpool in despair, Portsmouth made certain of victory when, from Boateng’s pass, Piquionne was allowed to score from the right by-line.