Liverpool 1-0 Debrecen
Fernando Torres provided a vital assist for Dirk Kuyt's goal
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Wednesday, 16, Sep 2009 09:36
By James Christie
Liverpool recorded their 100th win in the European Cup as they beat Hungarian champions Debrecen 1-0 courtesy of a first-half goal from Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt.
There have been far more memorable games in the Anfield club's rich European history than this the opening match of their Champions League campaign but they deserved better than to only win 1-0.
A busy Dirk Kuyt, playing in an unfamiliar midfield role, was the pick of the Liverpool players in the opening 15 minutes, passing with real intent and shooting just wide from distance after 12 minutes.
England's Glen Johnson was also in the thick of the early action; showing his fine attacking skills though his more suspect defensive qualities were in evidence later on with some wayward passing in his own half.
The Hungarian side at times looked like needing all the help they could get, often they could only break up some slick Liverpool passing through fouls and trips, and they did not win their first corner until the 22nd minute.
But they might have taken heart from the fact that Stephen Gerrard received a yellow card for not waiting for the referee's whistle before taking a free kick after 25 minutes.
The nature of the booking was a reflection of Liverpool's determination to play at a high tempo with some fine one and two-touch play.
But occasionally there was too much haste, as on the half-hour mark when a careless clearance gave Peter Czvitkovics the time and space to launch a fine half volley which Jose Reina did well to tip over the bar.
Liverpool's failure to clear their lines coincided with Debrenca's best period of the match though the spell was ended when a fine Jamie Carragher pass from inside the centre circle launched a counter attack in the 37th minute.
From then on Liverpool camped out in the opposition half and never seemed more than three passes away from a goal opportunity. The big moment finally came on the stroke of half-time when an incisive Yossi Benayoun pass released Fernando Torres.
The Spaniard's shot-on-the-turn produced a full-stretch save from Poleksic but the rebound was passed into the net by the ever-alert Kuyt.
A fantastic Gerrard volley nearly doubled Liverpool's advantage after the restart and 20 minutes later a superb weaving run from Benayoun, reminiscent of Archie Gemmill's twisting and turning wonder goal for Scotland against Holland in 1978, forced a fine parry from Czvitkovics as the ball looked to be creeping inside his left hand post.
Rafael Benitez would have welcomed a two-goal cushion as Debrecen might have snatched a point 13 minutes from time when their main striker Coulibaly found himself one-on-one with the Liverpool keeper. But with the ball bouncing above head-height Reina was always the favourite to win the encounter and must have been disappointed to concede a corner.
It was the visitor's last chance but, considering they were the first Hungarian team to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League since 1995, they by no means disgraced themselves.