Liverpool vs. Ludogorets: Score, Grades and Reaction from Champions League Game

Steven Gerrard converted a stoppage-time penalty to save his side's blushes as Liverpool marked their return to the UEFA Champions League with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at home to newcomers Ludogorets on Tuesday night at Anfield in both teams' Group B opener.

Mario Balotelli had put the home side ahead with his first Liverpool goal in the 82nd minute before Ludogorets equalised on the counter eight minutes later through Dani Abalo. But with the Reds seemingly set for an underwhelming home draw against unfancied opposition, Gerrard calmly tucked away a penalty in stoppage time to secure victory.

Earlier, Ludogorets had come close to taking the lead in the second half, as Roman Bezjak hit the post in the 72nd minute. But despite losing, the Bulgarians will take heart after matching their more illustrious hosts for much of the night.

Up next for Liverpool in the Champions League is a trip to Basel on Oct. 1. Back in the Premier League, the Reds will play at West Ham on Saturday.

Ludogorets' next Champions League match, a home game against defending champions Real Madrid, is set for Oct. 1.

Jon Super/Associated Press

Liverpool were making their first appearance in the Champions League since 2009-10, having finished second last season in the Premier League. The five-time European champions last won the competition in 2005 and reached the final two years later.

Ludogorets, meanwhile, are making their Champions League debut this season, having beaten Steaua Bucharest in dramatic fashion in the play-off round. Following goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov's dismissal in the last minute of extra time, defender Cosmin Moti made two saves and converted a spot-kick to send the Bulgarian side into the group stage.

No such drama was on display in the first half at Anfeld, but the hosts quickly found that Ludogorets were fully capable of maintaining stiff resistance.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Liverpool's first good opening came in the 21st minute when Adam Lallana saw his deflected shot saved following good work from Balotelli. Another half-chance followed in the 38th minute as Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson combined in a flowing team move. Again, Lallana was unable to turn his shot on goal, and from the ensuing corner, Dejan Lovren headed over the bar.

The first chance of the second half fell to Liverpool, with Javier Manquillo scooping the ball over the bar after latching onto Henderson's lofted, angled pass in the box. Manquillo then picked out substitute Fabio Borini with a fine cross in the 69th minute, but Borini's header was tipped over.

Bezjak hit the post for Ludogorets in the 72nd minute before Balotelli finally made the breakthrough 10 minutes later. Alberto Moreno served as the provider, looping a cross into the box, where Balotelli held off two defenders and poked his shot in at far post.

Leading 1-0, Liverpool should have been safe, but the hosts were punished on the counter just eight minutes later. As Ludogorets attacked quickly, Hamza Younes played a fine pass through to Abalo, who rounded Simon Mignolet and finished coolly for an unexpected equaliser.

The match wasn't finished, though, and Liverpool won a penalty in the second minute of stoppage time as Ludogorets goalkeeper Milan Borjan brought down Manquillo in the box following an errant back pass. A minute later, Gerrard calmly slotted in his low shot to save Liverpool's blushes and secure a winning return to the Champions League.

Grades

Starting XI	Half-Time	Full-Time
Substitutes	Half-Time	Full-Time
Simon Mignolet	6.6	5.4
Javier Manquillo	7.1	8.2
Dejan Lovren	6.9	7.3
Mamadou Sakho	6.7	6.7
Alberto Moreno	6.5	7.8
Jordan Henderson	6.8	7.3
Steven Gerrard	6.8	7.7
Philippe Coutinho	6.3	6.7
Adam Lallana	6.6	6.5
Mario Balotelli	6.6	8.5
Raheem Sterling	6.3	7.1
Fabio Borini (for Lallana, 67')	N/A	6.3
Lucas Leiva (for Coutinho, 68')	N/A	6.4

Starting XI	Half-Time	Full-Time
Substitutes	Half-Time	Full-Time
Milan Borjan	6.9	6.8
Junior Caicara	6.7	6.5
Alex Aleksandrov	6.6	6.5
Cosmin Moti	6.7	6.4
Yordan Minev	6.8	6.5
Mihail Aleksandrov	6.6	6.4
Svetoslav Dyakov	6.4	6.8
Anicet	6.8	7.0
Virgil Misidjan	6.1	6.5
Roman Bezjak	6.0	6.4
Marcelinho	6.4	6.9
Dani Abalo (for Misidjan, 72')	N/A	7.0
Fabio Espinho (for Dyakov, 85')	N/A	6.3
Hamza Younes (for Bezjak, 86')	N/A	6.7

Reaction

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard (ITV, via the London Evening Standard):

"

Looking at the game as a whole, we did okay. We didn't do better than okay.

(We have got) a lot to learn. I thought they caused us quite a few problems on the counter-attack, just like Aston Villa at the weekend, so there's a lot for myself and the lads to learn. ...

I think taking maximum points, we go away to Basle now, if we can get another maximum points it puts us in a very good position but the key tonight was always going to be three points before the performance.

"