Sion vs. Liverpool: Score and Reaction from 2015 Europa League Match

Liverpool and Sion served up a drab, scoreless draw during Thursday's Europa League action, ensuring both clubs will advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.  

The Reds had the better chances on the night but lacked efficiency in the final third, while Sion were happy to defend the draw. Liverpool top Group B after six matches, and the hosts advance as the second-placed team.

There's little to take away from this match, other than Liverpool's maturity in defending the top spot. Despite Sion's reluctance to attack, the Reds never took any unnecessary risks, as one Swiss goal would have been enough to steal first place.

As expected, manager Jurgen Klopp decided to rest a couple of key starters for this match, handing Brad Smith and Divock Origi a spot in the squad, per the club's official Twitter account:

The visitors started in fine form, dominating possession early and pushing Sion back into their own half.

Smith made a superb impression right from kick-off, and after just five minutes, he delivered a perfect ball into the path of Origi, who elected to stretch out his leg instead of diving for it with his head and managed to miss the golden opportunity.

Fox Sports Australia's Daniel Garb liked the youngster's start:

It took the hosts 10 minutes to settle down, but once they did, they seemed more concerned with preserving the draw and keeping the ball in the midfield. A scoreless draw with the Reds was enough for the Swiss side to advance, and it showed in their play, as they refused to commit men to the attack.

Liverpool also didn't seem too eager to expend too much energy, leading to a rather dull and slow opening 20 minutes. Chances were rare, and no one seemed willing to work for every chance, except for Smith, who was a real bright spot.

Origi tried his luck from distance with an ambitious attempt, and as shared by talkSPORT, the Belgian's shot didn't miss the target by much:

Edimilson Fernandes ruined Sion's first good chance of the match, creating some space for himself before firing a ball wide of the goal, when there were several team-mates waiting in a promising position.

Sion started to improve, and Fernandes' movement made all the difference. The midfielder again found some space after 29 minutes and did well to find Vincent Rufli, but the winger couldn't return the favour.

Adam Lallana isolated Origi in front of goal with a great through ball, but the Belgian's feet got tangled, allowing Leo Lacroix to return and make the clearance just in time. Per Tony Barrett of the Times, the pitch conditions may have been a factor:

The first half crept on at the same, slow pace, and there would be no more real chances until half-time. Barrett wasn't shocked:

Fans hoping to see some better football in the second half were given a flicker of hope when the Reds again started brightly, and Origi nearly found Roberto Firmino in the centre of the box with a great cross. Unfortunately, James Milner couldn't get out of the way in time, and his deflection trickled into the arms of the goalkeeper.

The early chance was just about the only noteworthy event of the start of the second half, however. Once again, neither team could get anything going in the attacking third, and the midfielders started to look sloppy as well, leading to a number of poor possessions.

Sion tried their luck with a training-ground routine, but the Reds dealt with the free-kick quite easily.

Something had to be done, and Klopp decided to bring on Philippe Coutinho, his main creative force, after 61 minutes. Goal UK's Melissa Reddy hoped the substitution would bring some life to the match:

Coutinho's introduction didn't have an immediate effect, and when the home crowd erupted in cheers because Bordeaux had taken the lead against Rubin Kazan, Sion became even less inclined to attack. If the French side won, Sion would progress regardless of the result of this match, but the hosts were unwilling to take any chances.

Emre Can and Coutinho combined well to send Origi through on goal, but Sion goalkeeper Andris Vanins showed excellent patience as the forward tried to round him, staying with the ball and breaking up the chance.

Bleacher Report UK weighed in on the quality of the match:

Rubin Kazan equalised in France with 14 minutes left on the clock, but it hardly had an impact on the match in Sion. Nathaniel Clyne was booked for a needless challenge in the final minutes, but apart from that, the Reds did well to avoid injuries or suspensions.

Both teams can hardly be blamed for the shoddy quality of the match, given the difficult circumstances and everything at stake. Liverpool take the top spot in Group B and avoid a draw against one of the Champions League dropouts in the next round, while Sion advance as the second-placed team.

The Reds remain among the strongest teams in the competition, and they should like their chances of a deep run if they keep playing with this sense of maturity.

Post-Match Reaction

Via Liverpool's official Twitter account, Klopp was happy with the character his team showed during the match:

He also commented on the state of the pitch, which greatly impacted the match:

Per the Telegraph's Chris Bascombe, Klopp was happy to avoid any injuries:

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