[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Dutchman Kirk Kuyt scored a precious away goal in Liverpool's 1-1 tie at Arsenal on Wednesday but almost cost Liverpool the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal series when he pulled down Arsenal's Alexandre Hleb in the penalty area.
Fortunately for Kuyt, his countryman, referee Pieter Vink, didn't blow his whistle.
"I didn't pull his shirt," Kuyt said. "It was never a penalty, but it was close."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger complained about the non-call.
"It was a blatant penalty just under the eyes of the referee," Wenger said. "That is a few times that has happened to us now and it is very difficult to accept."
Wenger didn't fault the Gunners' efforts in the the first of three meetings between the teams in seven days. They return to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday for an EPL clash and meet at Anfield next Tuesday in the second leg of their Champions League series.
"In a game like that," he said of Wednesday's clash, "you don't create 20 chances, you create four or five and we had four or five while they took the one they had. To finish a game like that 1-1 is disappointing. But we produced the performance we wanted and we had the chances to win the game. Liverpool created very little and the whole second half played in their half."
GAME SUMMARY:
April 2 in London
Arsenal 1 Liverpool 1. Goals: Adebayor 23; Kuyt 26.
Arsenal — Almunia, Toure, Gallas, Senderos, Clichy, Eboue (Bendtner 67), Flamini, Fabregas, Hleb, van Persie (Walcott 46), Adebayor.
Liverpool — Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Hyypia, Fabio Aurelio, Gerrard, Mascherano, Xabi Alonso (Lucas Leiva 76); Babel (Benayoun 58), Kuyt, Fernando Torres (Voronin 86)
Referee: Pieter Vink (Netherlands).
Att.: 60,041.