Liverpool produce comeback win against Atletico Madrid in Champions League opener

[p]The record-breaking Anfield crowd witnessed a frantic start to proceedings in the second consecutive UCL opener between these sides, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/isak-alexander/p41IV42c/"]Alexander Isak[/a] dragging wide seconds after kick-off.[/p][p][b]An open and entertaining quarter of an hour followed before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atleti[/a] stunned the home fans, going ahead when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alvarez-julian/bBHauDIC/"]Julian Alvarez[/a] threaded the ball through to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/llorente-marcos/z3D5zvbD/"]Marcos Llorente[/a], who lifted a side-foot finish over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alisson/UZrQ3bwP/"]Alisson Becker[/a] for a remarkable fifth Anfield UCL goal of his career.[/b][/p][embed guid="415ae8b8-843a-4a50-ac4c-86bd88bb78bd" url="https://x.com/ChampionsLeague/status/2097768957000163443" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a]’s high defensive line was being exploited, and were it not for a strong palm from Alisson, Alvarez would have doubled Atletico’s advantage after a sharp breakaway.[/p][p]Despite some concerning defensive lapses, the Reds weren’t without attacking threat, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wirtz-florian/0Q5gjImi/"]Florian Wirtz[/a] tested [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oblak-jan/SYy8ZHN9/"]Jan Oblak[/a] with a close-range half-volley, albeit during an offside play.[/p][image alt="Momentum" id="b28fae3e-ec86-4c2c-bbd7-c13c4f5e8a71" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="643d2ceb-adac-4900-829c-471aa98a43ea" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]Yet that should have served as a warning sign for the visitors, who soon found themselves pegged back. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barcola-bradley/lhGD3RgS/"]Bradley Barcola's[/a] low shot was well saved by Oblak, but the danger hadn’t passed, and Atleti were unable to prevent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/araujo-ronald/M3sbJix9/"]Ronald Araujo[/a] from neatly flicking the ball into the path of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/szoboszlai-dominik/dERKtqoo/"]Dominik Szoboszlai[/a], who delicately stroked home the leveller ahead of the half-time break.[/b][/p][embed guid="511dbdc8-51a6-4ec9-aa18-3522208663a6" url="https://x.com/LFC/status/2097775249643147412" social-type="twitter" /][p]Having failed to keep a clean sheet for the 17th time in their last 18 UCL matches, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/losada-iker/jmkzeFcs/"]Los Rojiblancos[/a] had work to do if they were to come away with all three points.[/p][p]Yet any aspirations of a first-ever win over an English side in the UCL group/league phase were dealt a significant blow shortly after the restart.[/p][p][b]Barcola should have been the man to do it when he found himself one-on-one with Oblak, only to sweep wide of the target with the goal at his mercy, but in the next play, the ball fell kindly for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mac-allister-alexis/fDPhMB8M/"]Alexis Mac Allister[/a] to rifle home from the edge of the box.[/b][/p][embed guid="431727a8-70e5-4b0d-8315-d49d11403604" url="https://x.com/LFC/status/2097780957952577644" social-type="twitter" /][p]The intensity of the first half had naturally petered out as the contest wore on, and with Liverpool now ahead, they were able to establish control of the match.[/p][p]Los Colchoneros pushed for a late equaliser, but the Reds stood firm, and despite a late disallowed goal from substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/frimpong-jeremie/SjJ6pCvC/"]Jeremie Frimpong[/a], did enough to get over the line.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="a89db5ad-f8a4-42d7-80ec-2c61da820db3" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="32b91d33-5553-479e-9653-b7e668b7954a" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/simeone-diego/AZ18LjKN/"]Diego Simeone[/a]’s 14th successive UCL campaign as Atleti manager isn’t off to the best start, and after last season’s 3-2 Anfield defeat, it marks the first time the Madrid side have lost successive UCL openers this century (W7, D5, L4).[/p][p]In the opposite dugout, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/iraola-andoni/xpALVpwq/"]Iraola[/a] will be much more content, overseeing Liverpool’s 18th Anfield win from their last 19 in European group/league phase games (L1).[/p][image alt="POTM" id="13754eb4-17da-49fb-8bec-d53340450cff" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="1bcc12f8-0265-4c1e-a103-456b438d387e" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/szoboszlai-dominik/dERKtqoo/"]Dominik Szoboszlai[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a])[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/atl-madrid-jaarqpLQ/liverpool-lId4TMwf/summary/stats/?mid=6aa0PFtQ"][b]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/b][/a][/p]