Porto hold ten-man Reds
18 Sep 2007 - 21:59:55
Ten-man Liverpool put up a battling display away to FC Porto to secure a 1-1 draw in their opening Champions League Group A clash, having had Jermaine Pennant sent off just before the hour mark.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez opted to partner Dirk Kuyt and Fernando Torres in attack, with Ryan Babel in support of the front two.
Within the first couple of minutes the home side forced a couple of corners and Reds keeper Jose Reina had to make a smart close-range block from a Lisandro Lopez effort.
Seven minutes in Porto won a penalty as Reina upended Tarik Sektioui inside the area and Lucho Gonzalez coolly sent the Spanish keeper the wrong way from the spot to give Porto the lead.
The home side continued to dominate, before the Reds equalised from their first attack of the game, after 17 minutes.
Steve Finnan swung a free-kick into area, Sami Hyypia headed back across goal and Kuyt swooped to nod home from close range.
Porto enjoyed the better of the possession up until half-time, but failed to seriously test Reina again as the Reds backline held firm.
The start of the second half followed the pattern of the latter stages of the first, but Liverpool suffered a major blow shortly before the hour mark.
Pennant, who had been booked for a foul on Ricardo Quaresma in the first half, was shown a second yellow then a red for a rash challenge on Jorge Fucile.
Shortly after that incident, Porto had one of few chances to grab a winner as Reina flapped at a cross and Hyypia had to clear a Quaresma effort from close to the goal-line.
The home side continued to force the pace as the clock ticked away, but found few openings against the resolute Reds, who coped well with only ten men.
Liverpool almost nicked a winner themselves two minutes from time, as a defensive lapse let in Steven Gerrard, but Quaresma got back quickly to deny Kuyt a shooting chance.