Liverpool down by two at interval

Valencia 2 Liverpool 0 (half-time)

Liverpool were in danger of being swept away by Valencia as they crumbled in the first half of their Champions League encounter at the Mestalla.

Unable to compete and control possession for more than a few moments at any time, the Reds conceded goals to Pablo Aimar and Ruben Baraja to give the La Liga champions control of this Group B opener.

Dietmar Hamann was booked for clattering Aimar on 21 minutes as the flow continued unchecked towards Liverpool’s goal.

On 25 minutes it could have been two when Curro Torres again found space on the right and hoisted a cross beyond the far post where Vicente Rodriguez planted a downward header into the six-yard box that Dudek scrambled away from the feet of Carew before diving on the loose ball.

Liverpool had not ventured into Santiago Canizares’ box until the half hour, and from their first effort almost equalised.

Jamie Carragher picked up possession on halfway, surged down the right and laid a fine pass to Heskey, who powered away from Mauricio Pellegrino.

Heskey took the ball wide of the Spanish international keeper and screwed his shot across goal and clipped the far post.

The home fans were on their feet on 34 minutes when Aimar went down in the box, but referee Herbert Fandel waved away all the appeals.

He was not so charitable a minute later though when Djimi Traore brought down Rufete, to be booked amid the distasteful monkey noises from the fans so regularly heard around Europe despite UEFA’s regular protestations.

The penalty appeals were soon forgotten when on 37 minutes Ruben Baraja, the Spanish midfield star, surged on to a Carew knockdown to stride forward and strike a clinical low drive from 20 yards past Dudek’s despairing dive.