• Steven Gerrard converts a penalty deep in added time to secure the Group B points
• Dani Abalo had only just equalised for the impressive Bulgarian debutants
• Mario Balotelli had hit what seemed to be the winner eight minutes from the end
• Roman Bezjak had hit the post not long before in a fine showing by the visitors
• Next fixtures: Basel v Liverpool, Ludogorets v Real Madrid (1 October)
Liverpool FC’s return to the UEFA Champions League after five years away ended in victory – but only just after a tremendous fight by debutants PFC Ludogorets Razgrad.
There was expectancy in the air before kick-off. Brendan Rodgers’ match programme talked of embracing a rich heritage, one perfectly illustrated by the Kop’s pre-match mosaic showing five European Cups. This is a new era, though. Liverpool’s lineup featured five players with no UEFA Champions League experience and they started slowly.
Of course, for every Ludogorets player this is a new adventure, not least goalkeeper Milan Borjan, the Canadian goalkeeper signed only a few days ago to deputise for the suspended Vladislav Stoyanov. He will have been grateful for Liverpool’s slow start and when they did find some attacking fluency it came only in fits and starts.
After 21 minutes Mario Balotelli turned his marker, Cosmi Moţi, but Aleksandar Aleksandrov got in the way of the ensuing shot and Borjan foiled Adam Lallana on the follow-up. Lallana had an even better chance eight minutes before the break after Coutinho sent Jordan Henderson bursting in the box.
The lively Ludogorets fans in the Anfield Road end will have been pleased by their team’s first 45 minutes of UEFA Champions League football – not least the confident touches of Marcelinho. The Liverpool crowd, meanwhile, saw the purposeful work of left-back Alberto Moreno, providing regular crosses from his flank.
As it was, their team’s first chance after the restart fell to their other Spanish full-back, Javier Manquillo but he lifted his shot over the bar. Ludogorets were making life awkward for their hosts and Marcelinho twice set up Roman Bezjak, once forcing Moreno to make a brilliant saving tackle.
That was the cue for Liverpool to go to the other end and strike. Moreno played a high ball into the Italian and he turned between two green shirts before finding the far corner of the Kop net. Borjan’s flying save stopped another Balotelli effort but it was in three added minutes that the real drama arrived.
Dani Abalo was played through by Younes Hamza and he confidently rounded Simon Mignol and slotted in to secure what seemed a memorable draw. But then Borjan brought down
source:uefa.com
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 