Liverpool laboured to a 1-0 first leg Europa League win over Romanian champions Unirea Urzinceni at Anfield. Over 40,000 fans turned out on a miserable evening as Liverpool began their Europa League campaign.
Their opponents had not played a competitive game for over two months because of the winter break but they displayed little indication of ring rustiness with their smothering defensive tactics.
The Reds enjoyed long periods of possession but lacked the quality in the final ball to really hurt their opponents.
With nine minutes remaining the game seemed to be heading for a disappointing scoreless stalemate until two substitutes combined to create the winner.
Daniel Pacheco headed down Ryan Babel's cross and David Ngog nodded in from close range to give the host's only their third win in nine European fixtures since they hammered Real Madrid.
Steven Gerrard then almost added a second with a fierce shot that went narrowly wide, but a 2-0 scoreline would have been flattering for Rafa Benitez's side.
The Spanish tactician had started the game with a strong line-up showing his intentions to take the competition and their opponents seriously, but for all their dominance they created few clear cut chances.
The game had started promisingly for Liverpool with Gerrard going close after only 30 seconds, but that was as good as it got with Unirea restricting the home side to long range efforts as they packed ten men behind the ball.
The Romanian's showed marginally more attacking ambitions in the second half with Razvan Paduretu blazing wildly over after being left unmarked some 20 yards out.
Back came the Reds and Fabio Aurelio's low drive was saved by Giedrius Arlauskis. Then Martin Skrtel headed over from a corner when he should have put the home side ahead.
With time running out the Frenchman got the vital goal which gives Liverpool a slender lead to take into the second leg next week.
"They were very stubborn but we expected that. You could say maybe we needed to be a bit more clinical but I think we'll get more joy away from home," reasoned Gerrard.
"But we were patient and the goal came. They're going to have to come out and try and beat us in the second leg."
He continued: "The teams knocked out of the Champions League are fantastic teams and some of the top sides across Europe are in the competition so it's going to be tough to win it but we're confident we can go all the way."
