Liverpool (1) Besiktas (0): Balotelli Penalty Hands Reds Slender First Leg Lead
It’s a slender lead, but it’s one that Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers won’t be arguing with as the Reds Europa League campaign got off to a winning start against a battling Besiktas side.
Despite conceding an embarrassing eight unanswered goals on their last visit to Anfield, the Turkish side weren’t about to park the bus with Croatian manager Slaven Bilic setting his side up to both repel their hosts constant attacks, but also to launch one of two of their own. Former Chelsea striker Demba Ba was unlucky to miss out on one end while Liverpool fullback Alberto Moreno saw his venomous shot tipped over by Besiktas ‘keeper Cenk Gonen as the first-half ended scoreless, but the Reds would find a way through before the final whistle when Jordon Ibe’s tenacity won his side a penalty which Mario Balotelli confidently slotted home.
It has to be said though that even though the Italian will snag the headlines, it’s the youngster that did all the hard work — as he did throughout the match. With Lazar Markovic suspended for the next four matches after UEFA finally handed down their punishment for the Serbian’s red card in Liverpool’s last Champions League outing, Ibe was always expected to start, but even though he showed so much promise since returning from loan at Derby County, I don’t think anyone expected him to put in a performance of this caliber on his European debut.
The 19-year old was electric throughout the 90-minutes and was quite often the catalyst for anything resembling attacking edge from the men in Red. Despite his much-needed chutzpah going forward, the hosts struggled to breakdown a very well-organized and dedicated Besiktas defence with Ersan Gülüm and Pedro Franco restricting them to mainly to long-range efforts and fractured passing play in the final third. Against the run of play, the visitors would get two of the best chances of the half when Veli Kavlak eluded the attentions of Emre Can to head over from a corner and Ba on the break would be denied his second goal in as many visits to Anfield by a diving Simon Mignolet.
Moreno’s powerful shot from distance would end up being Liverpool’s best chance of the half, but after the break Adam Lallana had a gilt-edged opportunity to put his side in front when a ball over the top to Daniel Sturridge — showing a bit of rust on the night — caused a mix-up between the Besiktas defence and the ‘keeper saw the ball spring free to him, but he could only shoot over the bar with the goal gaping. Dejan Lovren replacing Joe Allen saw Emre Can pushed into midfield and the withdrawal of Philippe Coutinho introduced Balotelli to the fray and the Italian looked to make an immediate impact from a free-kick only to have his shot fly straight at Gönen.
Raheem Sterling would be introduced to the fray before long and he’d lead a counter-attack from the Reds half following a bit of pressure from Bilic’s side only to have the move breakdown at the hands of the tiring, but still battling Besiktas back-line. The Turkish side could only hold out for so long though and when Ibe’s darting run into the box ended with Ramon Motta tripping up the 19-year old there was no question that a penalty would soon follow. Balotelli and captain for the day Jordan Henderson had some words beforehand, but the Italian’s confident finish set Anfield alight and put the Reds on their way to Istanbul in control of the tie.
–Steven
