Liverpool and lyon get one goal to get the win

Liverpool FC 1-0 Debreceni VSC

Dirk Kuyt ensured Liverpool FC made a winning, if low-key, start to their Group E campaign, the Dutchman's goal in first-half stoppage time securing a narrow victory against UEFA Champions League newcomers Debreceni VSC.

Kuyt's close-range finish was reward for an opening 45 minutes where Liverpool peppered the Debrecen goal with shots. But the home side failed to build on their advantage and while Liverpool emerged with the points, Andras Herczeg's tournament debutants will return home with confidence intact after a creditable display that earned generous applause from the home crowd.

As Hungary's first UEFA Champions League participants in 14 years, Debrecen could be forgiven their nervous start. They may have arrived at Anfield on an eight-game winning run but set out to contain, dropping ten men behind the ball when Liverpool had possession with Adamo Coulibaly alone up front. Yet they did not help themselves by giving the ball away cheaply during the opening stages, inviting pressure.

For all Liverpool's early probing it was Ádám Komlósi's failure to clear that let in Albert Riera for the first chance of note but the Spaniard dragged his shot wide, the first in a sequence of near misses by the winger. After firing past the far post when released by Steven Gerrard he went closer still soon afterwards, only for Vukašin Poleksić to get a hand to his low shot. Kuyt was first to the follow-up but failed to beat defender Norbert Mészáros on the goalline.

Debrecen almost gave their 2,000 travelling followers something to celebrate on the half-hour when Martin Škrtel's clearance fell to Péter Czvitkovics and the midfielder returned the ball with interest, his rising drive bringing a fingertip save out of Pepe Reina. Buoyed by that near thing, Czvitkovics then attempted an ambitious volley from Luis Ramos's far-post cross but the ball flew wide.

Liverpool soon regained control and, if not at their fluent best, their pressure finally told on the stroke of half-time. After Riera had driven a shot into Poleksić's body and his cross had been turned wide by Gerrard, it fell to Kuyt, a lively presence, to score. Fernando Torres tried his luck from the edge of the box and when Poleksić could only parry his shot the Duchman steered the loose ball into the corner.

If not as dominant as a subdued Kop might have wanted, Liverpool pushed for more goals in the second half. Gerrard almost added a second when he skimmed the roof of the net with a spectacular volley. Yossi Benayoun then drew deserved applause with a jinking run past four white shirts and low shot that Poleksić turned behind at the near post.

Debrecen began to scent the opportunity of an equaliser, notably when Leandro slipped a pass beyond the home defence for Coulibaly. The French striker lifted the ball over Reina but not towards goal and Carragher headed clear, before László Bodnár had a shot deflected wide from the ensuing corner. At the other end Benayoun and substitute Ryan Babel both went close but a solitary goal proved enough for Liverpool on a night where the points, not performance, mattered most.

Lyon 1-0 Fiorentina

A late goal from Miralem Pjanić gave Olympique Lyonnais a hard-earned victory against ten-man ACF Fiorentina in the first round of matches in UEFA Champions League Group E.

The home side looked the likelier winners from the moment Alberto Gilardino was dismissed for violent conduct on the stroke of half-time yet were held at bay by a string of fine saves from the visitors' French goalkeeper Sébastien Frey. With 14 minutes remaining, however, Pjanić was first to react to yet another Frey stop to give the French side the perfect start to their attempt to reach the knockout stages for a seventh successive season.

Early on both sides did an excellent job of closing down the space and pressing their opponents, with the result that 20 players were crammed into a single third of the pitch. The home fans on the Virage Nord provided plenty of atmosphere with their chants, clapping and drums, but on the pitch there was little to cheer, with the first half-chance not materialising until midway through the half when Adrian Mutu's slick back-heel put Gilardino through, only for stand-in centre-back Jérémy Toulalan to make a last-ditch tackle.

A minute later Lyon striker Bafétimbi Gomis fared no better when he too tried to chase a loose ball, only for Frey to smother at his feet. The match came to life just before the break, with a misdirected cross from Lyon left-back Aly Cissokho skimming the top of the crossbar. The pendulum then swung decisively Lyon's way as Gilardino was shown a straight red card after going into an aerial challenge with Toulalan with elbows raised.

The home team started the second half intent on making their numerical advantage count, a ferocious 25-metre shot from Lisandro – scorer of four goals in the play-off round – standing out amid the pressure on Frey's goal. Though Lyon kept Fiorentina on the back foot, the Italian side clearly needed no lessons in how to defend, even with ten men, and continued to deny the their opponents clear chances. They survived another close call when substitute Sidney Govou sent a low cross into the box and Gianluca Comotto stretched out a boot in time to deny Lisandro from point-blank range.

Jean II Makoun then sent a glancing effort wide as Lyon continued to struggle before suddenly making the breakthrough. Yet another attack looked to have broken down, only for Govou to flick a pass through to Kim Källström on the right side of the box. His angled cross-shot was only parried by Frey and Pjanić pounced on the rebound to score from close range. Lyon pushed for a second but Lisandro and Govou only brought out the best of the goalkeeper, who also reacted smartly to prevent an own goal by his captain Dario Dainelli to keep his side in contention. The Viola duly pressed forward but a late spell of pressure failed to yield an equaliser and they must look to bounce back against Liverpool FC on 29 September, when Lyon visit Debreceni VSC.