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Liverpool and Barcelona register wins

Juan Culio scores twice as CFR Cluj upsets AS Roma

— Photo: AP

MEMORABLE DAY: A classy display by Juan Culio (left) helped CFR Cluj stun AS Roma in Rome on Tuesday.

MANCHESTER (England): European heavyweights Liverpool, FC Barcelona, Chelsea and Inter Milan opened their Champions League football campaigns with victories on Tuesday.

But the most striking results on the first night of the group stage came from the competition’s newcomers on the road, with CFR Cluj upsetting AS Roma 2-1 and Anorthosis Famagusta holding Werder Bremen 0-0. Chelsea, which lost May’s final on penalty kicks, crushed Bordeaux 4-0; five-time champion Liverpool rallied to win 2-1 at Marseille; 2006 winner Barcelona overcame Sporting Lisbon 3-1 and Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan beat Panathinaikos 2-0.

Fernando Torres was back spearheading Liverpool’s attack after recovering from injury as Liverpool was given a tougher test than last year’s visit to the Stade Velodrome when it left with a 4-0 victory.

Marseille went ahead in the 23rd minute when Benoit Cheyrou lofted the ball over and Lorik Cana sidefooted past goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

The flares were still being launched when Steven Gerrard struck within three minutes with a rasping shot that looped into the net from 25 meters.

Gerrard put Liverpool ahead in the 31st from the penalty spot at the second attempt after Ronald Zubar had tripped Ryan Babel. It was Gerrard’s 99th career goal.

A 25-year-old journeyman playing his first Champions League match, Culio scored in the 27th and 49th minutes after Christian Panucci had put Roma in front at Stadio Olimpico, which will host this season’s final on May 27.

Panucci headed in a pass from Daniele De Rossi in the 17th minute for his 13th goal in 99 European matches.

But Juan Culio equalised six minutes later, splitting two defenders with a diagonal shot from the edge of the area. Juan Culio struck again in the 47th, volleying in a loose ball from the centre of the area.

The results: Group ‘A’: At London: Chelsea 4 (Frank Lampard 14, Joe Cole 30, Florent Malouda 82, Nicolas Anelka 92) bt Girondins Bordeaux 0.

At Rome: AS Roma 1 (Christian Panucci 16) lost to CFR Cluj 2 (Juan Culio 28, 49).

Group ‘B’: At Athens: Panathinaikos 0 lost to Inter Milan 2 (Mancini 27, Adriano 85). At Bremen: Werder Bremen 0 drew with Anorthosis Famagusta 0.

Group ‘C’: At Barcelona: Barcelona 3 (Rafael Marquez 21, Samuel Eto’o 60-pen, Xavi 87) bt Sporting Lisbon 1 (Tonel 72).

At Basel: Basel 1 (David Abraham 93) lost to Shakhtar Donetsk 2 (Fernandinho 25, Jadson 46).

Group ‘D’: At Eindhoven: PSV Eindhoven 0 lost to Atletico Madrid 3 (Sergio Aguero 9, 36, Maniche 54).

At Marseille: Olympique Marseille 1 (Lorik Cana 23) lost to Liverpool 2 (Steven Gerrard 26, 32). — Agencies

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