Liverpool’s issues defending set pieces were exposed on Wednesday night as a mix up at a corner allowed Marco Streller to hit the winner for Basel in a 1-0 Uefa Champions League victory.
Centre-backs Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel failed to clear a corner seven minutes into the second half, and Swiss striker Streller swept home when goalkeeper Simon Mignolet parried the ball straight to him.
It was similar to the goal Liverpool conceded two weeks ago in a 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa in the English Premier League and shows manager Brendan Rodgers has work to do to shore up a defence that conceded 50 league goals last season.
The win saw Basel move level with Liverpool on three points in Group B after Karim Benzema's late strike spared Real Madrid's blushes as they won 2-1 against Ludogorets in Bulgaria in the other game.
The home side were set to take a point off the holders before substitute Benzema fired home Marcelo’s fierce cross with just nine minutes left to earn all three points.
Midfielder Marcelinho had put the home side ahead after six minutes, converting a flick on from a corner.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed a penalty after 10 minutes, won another spot kick after 25 minutes and stepped up to slot home. But the game was in the balance until Benzema’s late intervention.
In Group A, Atletico Madrid reignited their campaign when Arda Turan struck 15 minutes from time to give last season's beaten finalists a 1-0 win at home to Italian champions Juventus.
Beaten 3-2 at Olympiakos in their opening game, Atletico hassled and harried Juve at the Calderon and were rewarded in the 75th minute when Turkey midfielder Arda poked the ball into the net from close range.
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