The National’s Sport cover for the Wednesday, September 17 issue, featuring Steven Gerrard successfully converting a penalty to save three points for Liverpool against lowly Ludogorets Razgrad on Tuesday night in their Champions League group opener.
Mario Balotelli’s early goal put the hosts ahead, but a shock equaliser in stoppage time by Razgrad put the result into doubt before Javi Manquilo was brought down in the box by opposite keeper Milan Borjan and Gerrard converted his spot-kick for the winner at the death.
As Richard Jolly writes, "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.”
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