Minus many of its stars, Liverpool draw Toronto FC 1-1 in friendly

TORONTO – Adam Morgan scored in the 69th minute Saturday as European giants Liverpool salvaged a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC in an exhibition game at Rogers Centre.

After Quincy Amarikwa gave Toronto a surprising 1-0 lead in the 58th minute, Morgan tapped a shot past Quillan Roberts from a yard out after the TFC goalkeeper could only get a piece of Raheem Sterling’s strike.

Amarikwa, making his first appearance for TFC, buried a rebound past Liverpool goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi for a Toronto side that was full marks for the draw and continued its resurgence under Paul Mariner.

Liverpool was without many of its stars, including captain Steven Gerrard and England teammates Andy Carroll and Glen Johnson, because of rules related to rest following international tournaments as it began its pre-season North American tour under new manager Brendan Rodgers.

Toronto FC, meanwhile, played its 11th game since June 16 as the club improved to 4-2-5 since Mariner replaced the fired Aron Winter last month.

Liverpool fans, many of them in jerseys, chanted and sang songs familiar to the terraces at Anfield beginning in the warmups, including a stirring rendition of the club’s anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Supporters of the 18-time English league winners unfurled numerous banners, including one honouring the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 fans were crushed to death in 1989.

But the game played on a temporary grass surface in front of 33,087 fans failed to live up to the hype in the first half.

Toronto FC, which started the game with a number of regulars in the lineup, including captain and midfielder Torsten Frings, striker Ryan Johnson and defender Richard Eckersley, did well to keep up with Liverpool in the first half.

Liverpool, meanwhile, with a starting 11 that included 16-year-old Jordan Ibe, failed to assert itself in the early going.

Toronto FC had the game’s first chance in the seventh minute when Johnson fired a shot off a pass from Luis Silva that Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones had to stretch for.

Liverpool had a shout for handball in the 34th minute when Jose Enrique’s shot was blocked by a TFC defender in the area.

The English giants had another chance in 44th minute but Daniel Pacheco also saw his shot blocked from in close.

Liverpool made 11 substitutions at halftime, while Toronto FC made 10. Liverpool introduced former England international Joe Cole and defender Martin Skrtel. Brazilian midfielder Lucas came on as a substitute for Liverpool in the second half for his first action after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last season.

Despite lineups that included few regulars and some players from each club’s youth system, the moves breathed life into the game as Amarikwa and Morgan traded goals just 11 minutes apart in a second half that fans enjoyed much more than the first.

Liverpool pressed for the win and was awarded a freekick in the 88th minute, but Cole’s delivery from the edge of the penalty area was woeful and went out for a goalkick.

Liverpool continues its pre-season schedule on Wednesday at Boston’s Fenway Park against Italy’s A.S. Roma before taking on English rivals Tottenham on July 28 in Baltimore.

Notes: The roof at Rogers Centre was open to start the game but was closed early in the second half. … TFC striker Eric Hassli, acquired from Vancouver in a trade on Friday night, was not in the lineup. … Liverpool starting goalkeeper Pepe Reina (Spain), striker Fabio Borini (Italy), and midfielders Jordan Henderson (England) and Stuart Downing (England), who also played at Euro 2012, also did not make the trip to Toronto. … Liverpool strikers Craig Bellamy (Britain) and Luis Suarez (Uruguay) are scheduled to play for their respective countries at the London Olympics and not on the North American tour.