Liverpool vs. Besiktas: Score, Grades, Reaction from Europa League Game

Mario Balotelli scored a late winner from the penalty spot as Liverpool claimed a narrow 1-0 victory at home to Besiktas on Thursday night in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round-of-32 clash at Anfield.

Liverpool dominated possession and created the better chances for much of the night but was met with stiff resistance from Besiktas in the final third. The hosts repeatedly attacked down the right, often through winger Jordon Ibe, who won the decisive penalty in the 84th minute following a fine run into the box.

One minute later, Balotelli converted the penalty to give Liverpool a slim advantage heading into the second leg.

Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League group stages, so the club entered Thursday's match knowing the Europa League could provide a route back to the continent's top-tier club competition. The winner of this season's Europa League will gain entry into next season's Champions League, meaning Brendan Rodgers' side still have two chances to make it back into Europe's elite next term.

One way would be as winners of the Europa League, and the other would be through a top-four Premier League finish. The Reds have work to do on both fronts.

After Thursday's victory, Liverpool are slight favourites to advance to the round of 16, but Besiktas will provide a firm test next week at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. Earlier this season, Slaven Bilic's side defeated Premier League top-four hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur at home in the Europa League group stage.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are currently seventh in the Premier League—but only four points off the top four and the Champions League places. Up next for the Reds is a trip to fourth-placed Southampton on Sunday in a match that could go a long way in deciding the Champions League spots.

Jon Super/Associated Press

Liverpool settled the more quickly of the two sides on Thursday night and created the game's first chance in the fourth minute. Ibe burst down the right flank and played a pass to Daniel Sturridge in space inside the box. Sturridge dribbled to the byline, beat his marker with a deft touch and forced a save out of Cenk Gonen from an extremely tight angle.

The hosts continued to pile on the pressure for much of the first half but were unable to break Besiktas' resistance. The Turkish side then enjoyed a good spell just after the half-hour mark. In the 32nd minute, Veli Kavlak sent a near-post header just over the bar from a Jose Sosa corner. Three minutes later, Demba Ba forced a save from Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet after the visitors swept down the pitch with a blistering counter.

Jon Super/Associated Press

As half-time approached, Liverpool were again the more dangerous side. Sturridge curled a free-kick over the target in the 40th minute, and Alberto Moreno had a long-distance pile-driver tipped over the bar three minutes later. In stoppage time, Henderson curled another free-kick over the wall and inches wide of the post.

After the interval, Liverpool went right back on the attack. The hosts had a good chance to make the breakthrough in the 49th minute, but Adam Lallana shot over the bar from close range after Gonen and Pedro Franco collided in Besiktas' box, causing Gonen to spill a cross.

Besiktas won a free-kick in a dangerous area in the 57th minute, but Sosa curled his set piece onto the roof of the net. At the other end, Henderson fired wide from outside the box as the match reached the hour mark.

Rodgers made a double substitution in the 63rd minute, introducing Balotelli and Dejan Lovren to Liverpool's lineup in place of Philippe Coutinho and Joe Allen. Balotelli made his first contribution two minutes later, forcing Gonen to save a bouncing free-kick from the left.

Jon Super/Associated Press

The Reds made a final change in the 77th minute as Raheem Sterling replaced Lallana, meaning Liverpool's three-man front line for the final 10-plus minutes consisted of Sterling, Sturridge and Balotelli.

Time was running short for the hosts, but in the 84th minute, Ibe made a vital contribution for Liverpool. Ibe embarked on one of his many runs down the right and drew a foul inside the box after blowing past his marker. The referee showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Balotelli took the penalty one minute later, turning away Henderson, the team's captain on the night. Balotelli sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and converted confidently to his left to send Liverpool into the second leg with a valuable 1-0 victory.

Grades

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
Simon Mignolet	6.7
Emre Can	6.7
Martin Skrtel	7.4
Mamadou Sakho	7.2
Jordon Ibe	8.5
Jordan Henderson	7.6
Joe Allen	6.3
Alberto Moreno	6.7
Adam Lallana	6.3
Philippe Coutinho	6.8
Daniel Sturridge	7.0
Dejan Lovren (for Allen, 63')	6.4
Mario Balotelli (for Coutinho, 63')	7.2
Raheem Sterling (for Lallana, 77')	6.2

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
Cenk Gonen	6.5
Serdar Kurtulus	6.5
Pedro Franco	6.1
Ersan Gulum	7.5
Ramon	6.5
Atiba Hutchinson	7.0
Veli Kavlak	6.9
Gokhan Tore	7.3
Jose Sosa	6.7
Olcay Sahan	6.8
Demba Ba	6.2
Oguzhan Ozyakup (for Sosa, 60')	6.2
Kerim Frei (for Sahan, 72')	6.2

Reaction

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard talked to ITV after the match about Balotelli's penalty, via BBC Sport:

"

Credit to Mario, he's scored, but it's not nice to see when footballers are arguing. I think Jordan has handled the situation very well. He can see that Mario really wanted to score. Jordan walked away at the right moment and handled his post match interview very well.

Jordan is the captain and Mario showed Jordan a bit of disrespect there, but he's scored a very important goal. I think six or seven players would have wanted to take that penalty so if they all say they are taking it, what happens then?! Rules are in place for a reason.

"

Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson also gave his side of the story to ITV, via BBC Sport:

"

It was a big goal, I thought we kept the ball well at times and we deservedly got the goal at the end. It was a big goal for us and especially keeping the clean sheet.

I wanted the penalty, Mario felt confident and he has taken big penalties before. Everyone wants to take them. I felt confident in Mario, he has taken big penalties before and he got the nod.

"

@miguelcominguez