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QINGDAO TODAY
在线翻译:
szdaily -> Sports -> 
Liverpool loses opener, Barca draws
    2019-09-19  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

LIVERPOOL lost its first Champions League game since raising the trophy in Madrid last May, while Lionel Messi made his first appearance for Barcelona this season.

Napoli beat the reigning champion Reds 2-0 on a late Dries Mertens penalty, while Barca was fortunate to finish scoreless at Borussia Dortmund.

Napoli broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute through Dries Mertens’ penalty, but not without a bit of controversy.

Liverpool fullback Andrew Robertson was judged to have brought down Jose Callejon in the box, but replays showed that while Robertson whiffed on his challenge, Callejon thrust himself forward in an attempt to draw a whistle.

Fernando Llorente tagged on the second goal in stoppage time for Napoli, and Mexican international Hirving “Chucky” Lozano started and acquitted himself well. Liverpool looked dangerous as usual going forward, but the end product wasn’t quite there.

Fortunately for the Reds, they look to be clear co-favorites with Napoli in a group that also includes RB Salzburg and Genk, although Jesse Marsch’s Austrian champions were convincing in their own right.

Barcelona’s glimpse of life without Lionel Messi has had its ups and downs thus far.

He returned to the Catalan side around the hour mark Tuesday, replacing 16-year-old Ansu Fati, who has shown flashes of brilliance in his brief time with the senior team.

But goalkeeper Marc-Andreter Stegen stole the spotlight from both. Ter Stegen made four saves and swallowed up Dortmund chances all night. He preserved the draw by stopping Marco Reus’ penalty in the 56th minute.

Barcelona looked distressingly unimaginative and very easily could have lost, but it will gladly take a tough away point to start this Champions League campaign.

Group F, which also features Inter Milan, might well be the toughest collection of teams at this stage. So the suspense is just beginning.

Fortunately for Barcelona and fans across the world, Messi is back for it. (SD-Agencies)

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