Super Mario: enigmatic striker Mario Balotelli scored
his first goal in Liverpool's famous red to help the 2005 champions to a
2-1 win.
Real Madrid began their title defence with a
5-1 thrashing of Basel, while city rivals Atletico slipped to a 3-2
defeat at Olympiakos in the first group matches of the UEFA Champions
League.
Mario Balotelli struck his first goal for Liverpool and
Steven Gerrard converted a last-gasp penalty in a dramatic late goal
flurry in a 2-1 defeat of newcomers Ludogorets.
Strikers Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored
either side of the break for Borussia Dortmund in a 2-0 defeat of
Arsenal on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez bagged both goals
for Juventus in a 2-0 defeat of Malmo, while Monaco and Zenit St
Petersburg also began their campaigns with victories.
Rout: Colombia's World Cup hero James Rodriguez was in the thick of defending champions Real Madrid's 5-1 hiding of FC Basel.
Photo: AP
Galatasaray rescued a point with a late goal in a 1-1 draw with Anderlecht.
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An own goal by Marek Suchy in the 14th minute began a
first-half goal rush by Real Madrid against Swiss champions Basel in
Group B.
Gareth Bale ran onto a Luka Modric pass to lift the ball over
Basel keeper Tomas Vaclik on the half hour and then set up Cristiano
Ronaldo for a third a minute later.
James Rodriguez made it four in the 37th minute before Derlis
Gonzalez pulled one back a minute later. Real completed the rout with a
Karim Benzema strike 11 minutes from time.
Arthur Masuaku and Ibrahim Afellay put Olympiakos ahead
against Atletico in a Group A game in Piraeus before last season's
losing finalists replied through Mario Mandzukic on his Champions League
debut for the Spanish champions.
Kostas Mitroglou hit a third for the home side in the 73rd
minute, while Antoine Griezmann's late goal came was no more than a
consolation for Atletico.
In the same group, Tevez was on target in the 59th minute and
notched a second with a last-minute free-kick for Italian champions
Juventus against Swedish side Malmo.
Benfica's 51-match unbeaten home record in all competitions came to an end against visiting Zenit St Petersburg in Group C.
Brazil striker Hulk put the Russian side ahead and former
home favourite Axel Witsel headed a second soon after Benfica keeper
Artur was sent off.
Monaco also got off to a winning start in the group with a
1-0 defeat of Germany's Bayer Leverkusen thanks to a 61st-minute goal by
Joao Moutinho.
Liverpool, back in the Champions League after a five-year
break, toiled against group-stage debutants Ludogorets before Italy
striker Ballotelli broke the deadlock with eight minutes remaining in
their Group D encounter at Anfield.
Dani Abolo levelled in the final minute for the Bulgarians
but Gerrard then stepped up to score from the spot after keeper Milan
Borjan tripped Javi Manquillo.
The group stage continues on Wednesday with eight matches in groups E, F, G and H.
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