Match reportLiverpool comeback clinches Champions League win over Atletico Madrid

The Reds fell behind to Marcos Llorente’s finish 17 minutes into the first half at Anfield on Wednesday night.

But a firm response was punctuated by Dominik Szoboszlai’s equaliser and Alexis Mac Allister’s thump either side of the interval.

Andoni Iraola’s men thereby kicked off the new league phase with three points ahead of a trip to LASK of Austria next month.

Team

Bradley Barcola made his first start for the Reds as Iraola opted for two changes on his first Champions League teamsheet as a coach, the other seeing Rio Ngumoha brought in.

Cody Gakpo missed out due to minor adductor issues.

Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez (Tsimikas, 88), Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Isak (Koumas, 88), Mac Allister (Gravenberch, 69), Barcola (Munoz, 60), Araujo, Ngumoha (Frimpong, 60).

Unused subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Nyoni, Chambers, McConnell, Danns.

First half

Liverpool could have scored just 15 seconds into their 30th season of competing in the European Cup.

Szoboszlai was able to power into space in the Atletico half and feed Alexander Isak to his right, but the striker’s low hit across goal was wide of the far post.

The earliest of excitement eased into a more expected probing and jabbing by both sides, featuring only half-chances.

A more promising opportunity came on the quarter-hour for the Reds.

Barcola sweetly brought a dropping Szoboszlai pass into the box under control, only for his effort at an ever-narrowing angle to be blocked by Atleti goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

The visitors took the lead within moments, Llorente springing in behind to meet a through ball and clipping it over Alisson Becker when one-on-one.

Liverpool’s goalkeeper had to be at full stretch soon after to tip away Julian Alvarez’s dangerous drive from outside the box that was heading into the left corner.

Oblak was an obstacle again as Isak’s scoop from the left picked out the arriving Florian Wirtz in the box, although the save was followed by an offside flag in any case.

A series of strong challenges created a thread of tetchiness as the half advanced, and it ended with the score even.

Oblak had foiled Barcola’s finish seconds before a bobbling ball was cutely flicked by Ronald Araujo for Szoboszlai to dispatch from close range.

Second half

Barcola spurned a golden chance to maintain the Reds’ momentum four minutes after the restart.

His electric counter-attack with Wirtz culminated in an opening to pick his spot against Oblak, but the final shot rolled just wide.

It was a temporary reprieve for the Spaniards, however.

Ngumoha’s shimmying in the channel and cross into the middle caused a ricochet that fell to Mac Allister, who produced a stunning strike 20 yards out that he rasped deliciously inside the left post.

Iraola deployed Jeremie Frimpong and Victor Munoz to the flanks amid the blot of Barcola signalling a need to be substituted.

It felt like Liverpool were the likelier to find the net again and Atletico were indebted to a crucial Robin Le Normand block for stifling an Isak effort.

Frimpong netted from an offside position in the final throes, but the one-goal superiority was enough for Iraola’s Reds to launch a new European adventure on a winning note.

Attendance: 59,466