LIVERPOOL 2 LUDOGORETS 1
Liverpool - Balotelli 82', Gerrard (pen) 90'+3
Ludogorets - Abalo 90'+1
Man of the match - Aleksandar Aleksandrov (Ludogorets)
English football correspondent
Steven Gerrard is indelibly associated with the Uefa Champions League. In the context of his past heroics, scoring a penalty against Bulgarian underdogs scarcely ranks as his greatest feat, but it was welcome indeed for Liverpool.
After the years of anticipation, this was nearly an Anfield anti-climax. It was almost five years since the five-time European Cup winners had played Champions League football. Liverpool had yearned for it and then earned it. Finally, because of their captain, they could enjoy it.
His spot kick, after goalkeeper Milan Borjan had tripped substitute Fabio Borini, brought a remarkable conclusion to an at times mundane game.
At first it seemed that Mario Balotelli was the match-winner, the Italian scoring his first Liverpool goal.
Then Ludogorets appeared to have procured an improbable point when substitute Dani Abalo equalised.
Eventually, Gerrard proved decisive.
Truth be told, the result was harsh on Ludogorets. Ten minutes before Balotelli struck, the Bulgarian champions’ striker Roman Bezjak advanced on goal, defeated Simon Mignolet with a crisp shot and saw his shot rebound off the post – proof that the margins can be narrow.
Liverpool had been missing from Europe’s premier club competition for 1742 days, since a loss to Fiorentina in December 2009, and the long wait came to an eventful end.
Balotelli, who has a flair for the dramatic, opened his Anfield account in front of the Kop with an assured finish following a pass from another summer signing, Alberto Moreno.
The start was altogether less notable. After 20, forgettable minutes, there was a flurry of activity as Balotelli, Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling could all have scored within the space of a few seconds.
Defender Aleksandar Aleksandrov, with a flying block, and goalkeeper Borjan, with two fine saves, preserved parity.
Aleksandrov served as the rescue act again when Lallana squeezed out a shot that rolled past Borjan following a break from Jordan Henderson. It was a rare moment of dynamism from Liverpool.
The newly appointed vice-captain was the instigator of a second chance, picking out the overlapping Javier Manquillo, who lifted his attempted lob over the Ludogorets bar.
The Spanish right-back turned provider with a cross that Borini, just brought on from the bench, met with a powerful header. Borjan tipped it over the bar.
The sight of the Italian striker is a sign Liverpool’s newly expanded squad is being stretched. Lazar Markovic is suspended in Europe and six others are injured, with Daniel Sturridge the most prominent absentee.
Liverpool lacked the fluency and intensity they demonstrated at the end of last season or, indeed, at Tottenham in August, when Sturridge was still fit. It is understandable that a new-look side is yet to gel but it was encouraging that the first goal came from a combination of recent recruits.
The second came from the most familiar of faces, in Gerrard, but manager Brendan Rodgers deserves credit for introducing Borini, who had been set to join Sunderland, but who made a real difference in his cameo.
In the end, though, the headlines, as ever, were made by Gerrard.
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