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Sport 19 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2014 SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Last-gasp Liverpool win on Champions League return It was almost just like the old days as Steven Gerrard scored an added-time winner to get Liverpool's Champions League return off to a winning start THE Reds captain, so influential on European nights of the past, stroked home a very late spot-kick to give his team a 2-1 win over spirited Ludog- orets. It usually takes something special to upstage Mario Balotelli, who scored the first goal for the club since his £16million summer transfer from AC Milan, but the Bulgarian minnows almost achieved it when substitute Dani Abalo rolled in a 90th-minute equaliser. However, when Javier Manquillo was brought down by goalkeeper Mi- lan Borjan, only signed at the weekend because of suspension and injury to Ludogorets' first two choices, Gerrard assumed the role for which he has be- come synonymous. The five-time winners of Europe's elite club competition had waited five years to be back in the big time but it seemed the fanfare which greeted its arrival at Anfield would be silenced by the visitors. It seemed, with impeccable timing, Balotelli had chosen the perfect mo- ment to open his account eight min- utes from time but there was greater drama to follow. And while it was not the most con- vincing of wins it got the Reds off and running, particularly important con- sidering Real Madrid's comfortable win over Basle in the other game in Group B. Liverpool's Champions League ab- sence extended to 1,742 days and they discovered much had changed in the interim, with Gerrard the only survi- vor from the last squad to play in the competition. With nine players making their Eu- ropean debuts for the club - only Ger- rard and Raheem Sterling, replacing the suspended Lazar Markovic, hav- ing played in continental competition before - the lack of cohesion was un- derstandable. It takes time to build success in the Champions League, even against Bulgarian outsiders, and of the nine 'newbies' Simon Mignolet, Jordan Henderson, Alberto Moreno, Adam Lallana and Sterling were all making their bow in this competition. That inexperience led to naivety, with lots of niggling fouls conceded as players failed to adjust to a European way of refereeing, although Slovakian official Matej Jug did seem particu- larly pedantic. Moreno, a Europa League winner with Sevilla last season, provided Liv- erpool's best outlet in the first half with a number of trademark charges down the left flank but he struggled to deliver the killer cross on a number of occasions and blazed another goal at- tempt well over. Balotelli produced a slick turn to beat Cosmin Moti but his shot blocked by Aleksandar Aleksandrov and Lallana's follow-up rebounded off goalkeeper Milan Borjan - only signed at the weekend after suspension and injury ruled out Ludogorets' first and second choices - to Balotelli, who was offside. The best move of the half saw Philippe Coutinho, Sterling and Henderson combine to tee up Lallana but his goalbound strike was blocked by Svetoslav Dyakov and Dejan Lovren headed over the resulting corner. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodg- ers predicted Ludogorets, Bulgarian champions for the last three seasons, would play an open style and he was proved right with the visitors comfort- able in possession and quick to get for- ward - but their lack of genuine quality in the final third meant they did not trouble goalkeeper Mignolet. Rodgers' pre-match comments also stressed the need for patience if their familiar fast start did not pay divi- dends - but it was a virtue in short sup- ply with the home fans expecting to see the Champions League debutants despatched with some ease. Attacking The Kop in the second half the tempo quickened with Man- quillo volleying over before Junior Caicara almost surprised Mignolet with a low, long-range effort which the goalkeeper batted away. Balotelli hooked Manquillo's cross into the bank of expectant supporters behind the goal but Roman Bezjak al- most capitalised on a sleeping Gerrard at a quickly-taken throw-in to blaze over, although his next effort almost silenced Anfield with a shot which beat Mignolet but rebounded off the far post. Liverpool's chances were not as close with substitute Fabio Borini's header tipped over by Borjan and Henderson nodding wide. When the ball was fed in to Balotelli he squeezed between two defenders, turned and poked home from close range only for Abalo to get in behind Lovren, round Mignolet and slide home. But if any club know the value of not giving up in the Champions League it is Liverpool and when Manquillo was brought down by Borjan after he mis- controlled a backpass the stage was set for Gerrard - and he duly delivered. SL Benfica 0-2 FC Zenit Hulk and former Benfica favour- ite Axel Witsel scored the goals in a 2-0 win as Zenit brought the Eagles' 51-match unbeaten home record to a spectacular end. Zenit were on their way to an 11th straight win this season from the mo- ment Hulk delicately lifted them into a fifth-minute lead, the first goal of this UEFA Champions League season. It was the start of a forgettable open- ing half for Benfica. Goalkeeper Artur was dismissed on 18 minutes after bringing down Danny and two set pieces later it was 2-0, Witsel heading in a Danny corner. Juventus 2-0 Malmö FF Carlos Tévez scored his first UEFA Champions League goals since April 2009 as Juventus started their Group A campaign by defeating Malmö FF in Turin. On the eve of the game Giorgio Chiellini said that Tévez "was not bothered about scoring, only that the team scores". However the Ar- gentinian was clearly relieved to have ended a 1,988-day goal drought in the competition after beating Robin Olsen in the 59th minute be- fore putting the game to bed with a wonderful free-kick. Juventus struggled to find spaces in the early stages against a Malmö side defending with five men and two holding midfielders. Fernando Llorente forced Robin Olsen into a difficult save with a header, although the Basque striker had been flagged offside when meeting Patrice Evra's left-wing cross. Asamoah, returning to his old role in midfield due to the absence of the injured Andrea Pirlo and Ar- turo Vidal, missed the target with a powerful shot from 25 meters, and subsequently with a header. In be- tween, however, Malmö had a glo- rious opportunity to take the lead when Gianluigi Buffon saved a close range-volley by Magnus Eriksson from Markus Rosenberg's perfect cross. The Swedish side continued to de- fend tightly while Juventus became more and more nervous, but went close on the stroke of half time when Stephan Lichtsteiner found room on the right. The Swiss right-back had two options with only Olsen to beat, but appeared to be caught in two minds and his eventual delivery was neither shot nor cross. Lichtsteiner repeated the move early into the second half after a brilliant pass by Paul Pogba again put him alone against Olsen; once more the defender failed to make the most of the opportunity. Mean- while Malmö coach Åge Hareide lost Rosenberg to a injury and replaced the striker with Agon Mehmeti. Things went from bad to worse for the Swedish side as Tévez cut in from the right and slotted a low side- footed effort into the bottom left corner after a brilliant one-two with Asamoah. The goal visibly relaxed Juve, who began to create more op- portunities and finally wrapped up the points in the 90th minute when Tévez found the top corner with a Pirlo-esque free-kick. Mario Balotelli scores his first goal for Liverpool