Liverpool striker Divock Origi fully justified his manager's faith with a vital away goal against Borussia Dortmund and a 1-1 on Jurgen Klopp's homecoming kept everyone happy.
The focus on Klopp could hardly have been greater on his first return to Signal Iduna Park after leaving in May so it was difficult for the scrutiny to increase with his decision to start with the Belgian 20-year-old in place of his number-one striker Daniel Sturridge.
But the German is not afraid of making the big calls and this one paid off as Origi scored his first goal since February and the most important in his short Liverpool career to date in this Europa League quarter-final first leg.
Dortmund centre-back Mats Hummels' header just after half-time gave the hosts a draw which, on balance, they deserved but a composed, controlled European away performance for Liverpool has given them hope of progressing at Anfield next week against a side Klopp rates as among the top five in the world.
It was not quite master against apprentice as Thomas Tuchel has hardly taken Dortmund backwards this season but Klopp still knows a thing or two about European football and - inside knowledge or not - his tactics were spot-on.
From Origi's persistent running up top, occupying Dortmund's entire back line, to the work-rate in midfield and the new dogged determination instilled in the defence
While Klopp made one significant change, Tuchel opted for two but the inclusion of Germany centre-back Hummels and experienced goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller hardly weakened the side.
Dortmund have not lost since the Bundesliga's mid-winter break in December - a run of 15 matches - and it was no surprise to see them dominate possession, goal attempts and passes but they found a Liverpool defence, perhaps lifting their game for the occasion which Klopp told them not to play, in defiant mood.
Centre-backs Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren have had their critics but both put their bodies on the line for everything.
If it was not the former's outstretched leg denying Henrikh Mkhitaryan an almost certain goal or stopping Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's pass reaching the unmarked Marco Reus it was his partner, with possibly the best block of the night on Aubameyang, with goalkeeper Simon Mignolet brilliantly tipping over a Reus shot from the resulting corner.
Aubameyang, Reus and Mkhitaryan - Dortmund's trio of goalscorers whose combined tally of 75 bettered the entire Liverpool squad - all had efforts off target.
But despite being short of goals the visitors posed their own threat with Lovren heading straight at Weidenfeller before Origi's crowning moment arrived in the 36th minute.
James Milner easily beat Hummels in the air to flick on Alberto Moreno's chip and Origi, not for the first time, got the better of Lukasz Piszczek and held off the full-back long enough to angle a shot which, with the slightest of deflections off the defender, beat Weidenfeller.
Klopp had promised to celebrate if his new club scored against his former employers and celebrate he did, thumping his chest and roaring "Boom" on the touchline.
One can only imagine the German's reaction had Origi beaten Weidenfeller in a one-on-one in final seconds of first-half added time.
Liverpool lost Jordan Henderson at half-time to a knee injury while Dortmund sent on former Reds loanee Nuri Sahin for Erik Durm but within three minutes the hosts were level when the visitors switched off at a short corner and Hummels headed home.
Unbowed Philippe Coutinho forced Weidenfeller into two smart quick-reaction low saves and both sides continued to trade blows with regularity but neither could deliver the killer strike.
Origi eventually made way for Sturridge six minutes from time after a performance which displayed a growing maturity.
TWEET OF THE MATCH
"An excellent away display at a very tough place to go.All to play for going into the second leg but great to have got an away goal." - Ex-Liverpool striker Neil Mellor (@NeilMellor33).
PLAYER RATINGS
BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Roman Weidenfeller: 6 (Out of 10)
Lukasz Piszczek: 5
Sven Bender: 5
Mats Hummels: 7
Marcel Schmelzer: 7
Erik Durm: 5
Julian Weigl: 7
Gonzalo Castro: 6
Marco Reus: 6
Henrikh Mkhitaryan: 8
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: 5
Substitutes
Nuri Sahin (on for Durm, 46): 6
Sokratis Papasathopoulos (on for Bender, 76): 6
Christian Pulisic (on for Aubameyang, 76): 6
LIVERPOOL
Simon Mignolet: 7
Nathaniel Clyne: 7
Dejan Lovren: 8
Mamadou Sakho: 8
Jordan Henderson: 5
Emre Can: 8
James Milner: 7
Adam Lallana: 7
Philippe Coutinho: 7
Divock Origi: 8
Substitutes
Joe Allen (on for Henderson, 46): 6
Daniel Sturridge (on for Origi, 84):
Roberto Firmino (on for Lallana, 77):
STAR MAN
Divock Origi: Scored his most important goal for the club when the spotlight was on him having taken the place of Daniel Sturridge. Led the line with confidence.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
Origi's goal, taken with the cool head of an experienced striker not a 20-year-old rookie, gave Liverpool the confidence to believe they could get something from the game.
VIEW FROM THE BENCH
On his 'homecoming' Jurgen Klopp made a huge call in dropping striker Sturridge for the less-experienced Origi but it more than paid off. As promised he celebrated the goal like he always does. Thomas Tuchel was a much more composed figure but could not find a way to combat Klopp's tactics.
MOAN OF THE MATCH
There was little to complain about with two European heavyweights going toe-to-toe in a full-throttle encounter. And there is another leg to come yet.
WHO'S UP NEXT?
Liverpool v Stoke, Sunday April 10 (Barclays Premier League)
Schalke v Borussia Dortmund, Sunday April 10 (Bundesliga)
Source: PA
