by Dave Usher for ESPN
There was late drama at Anfield as Liverpool's long-awaited return to the Champions League ended in victory, but it was far too close for comfort for Brendan Rodgers' out-of-sorts side.
Ludogorets proved to be a stubborn and spirited opposition, and the Reds had to wait 82 minutes before finally breaking the deadlock, courtesy of Mario Balotelli's first goal for the club following his summer move from AC Milan.
That should have been enough for the 2005 winners to ensure they got off to a winning start against the unfancied Bulgarians, but, as they so often do, Liverpool shot themselves in the foot by irresponsibly giving away a goal that could have been avoided; piling men forward in the final minute when protecting a 1-0 lead is foolhardy and unprofessional.
At this level, errors of judgment like that are usually punished, but this is all part of the learning curve for a team -- and indeed manager -- who lack experience in this competition.
To their credit, Liverpool pushed forward and deep into stoppage time were awarded a penalty when Javier Manquillo was tripped by goalkeeper Milan Borjan. Steven Gerrard converted the spot kick in front of a hugely relieved Kop end, but Liverpool are not playing well right now and significant improvement is needed.
Read the full article complete with players ratings here.
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