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Tiny Welsh club faces Liverpool

After overcoming a 3-0 deficit to beat AC Milan in the Champions League final, facing a Welsh minnow named for a computer company shouldn't be difficult for Liverpool.

Forced to start its defense in the first qualifying round, Liverpool always knew it would face one of the small fries of soccer.

But today's match is the biggest thing ever to happen to Total Network Solutions.

The mid-Wales club is in Llansantfraid, a town of about 1,000 people only 100km from Liverpool.

Most of the TNS players are Liverpool fans, and seven weeks ago they watched Liverpool beat Milan on penalties in a dramatic final in Istanbul.

Liverpool received dispensation from UEFA to defend its title because it didn't qualify from the English Premiership, but it had to start from the very beginning of the competition.

That means taking on a team no other European powerhouse has ever had to face. Two-time Welsh champion TNS -- formerly Llansantfraid FC -- is usually knocked out before the big guns come into the competition.

So TNS striker Mark Lloyd-Williams, who earns a modest ?600 (US$1,044) a week, will line up against Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who will reportedly earn ?100,000 a week from his new four-year contract.

Liverpool is expected to field a strong lineup against TNS. Australian midfielder Harry Kewell is recovering from surgery on a torn groin muscle, but some of manager Rafa Benitez's new signings are likely to start. Hired from Villarreal, Jose Reina could be in goal instead of Jerzy Dudek, one of the heroes of the final in Istanbul.

"When you sign a new 'keeper you are looking long-term to him being number one. But I am very happy with Dudek and Scott Carson, and at the moment I am not looking at the big picture, only the Champions League qualifiers," Benitez said.

Dutch midfielder Boudewijn Zenden, signed from Middlesbrough, and rightback Antonio Barragan, hired from Sevilla, could also face the Wales champion although Mali international midfielder Mohammed Sissoko is still waiting to complete his move and hasn't been registered in time.

With 45,000 fans roaring Liverpool on at Anfield, it could be quite an ordeal for TNS.

Owner Mike Harris, whose computer company took over the club and changed its name, can't wait for the game to start.

"I haven't struck oil here but I have found a little jewel, and we will keep working to build it up until it is capable of running itself on a full-time basis with or without company money," he said.

Harris sees a small chance of an upset.

"We are not completely without hope because if you look back, clubs like Rangers and Celtic have tended to struggle right at the start because they are not as prepared as they would be for the later rounds. Let's hope we can catch Liverpool cold, although our first aim for the tie is to ensure we do not disgrace ourselves," he said.
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