Champions League: Kluivert brings Barca back into game

Liverpool 1 Barcelona 1 H/T

Michael Owen struck a trademark goal - his 18th in 18 games for club and country this term - to give Liverpool first blood in this Champions League clash.

But just when it looked like the Anfield side were in command, Patrick Kluivert hammered home an equaliser four minutes from the break.

Frank De Boer was the third Barca man to be booked on 22 minutes when he hauled back Heskey in a run on goal, John Arne Riise’s shot from the short free-kick being charged down.

But on 26 minutes Liverpool struck with deadly precision. And it was the man the entire Barcelona defence had already admitted they feared, Michael Owen, who scored the goal.

In a newspaper poll back home four of Barca’s top defensive stars picked Owen as the best striker in Europe, and he demonstrated why with the sort of goal that has made him famous.

Steven Gerrard’s quick ball to Smicer saw the Czech slide his pass instantly into space behind De Boer.

Owen was on to it in a flash, outpacing the Dutchman and clinically lifting his shot over Bonano’s diving frame and into the far corner of his goal.

Gabri was lucky not to be sent off soon after. Booked, he’d been warned for kicking the ball away from a free-kick and then he clipped Smicer’s heels.

German referee Hellmut Krug thought long and hard, but decided on one final warning.

Liverpool almost had a second goal on 40 minutes when Heskey took a Riise pass, twisted round Andersson and saw his shot kicked off the line by Phillip Cocu.

But while Liverpool were still rueing their bad luck, their guard dropped and they allowed Barcelona to equalise 60 seconds later.

Overmars and Rivaldo conjured a rapid break and the ball was moved on for Kluivert to crack home with his right foot from 12 yards.

Seconds before the break Dudek had to save at full stretch from Overmars after he had been allowed a sight of goal by Stephane Henchoz.