Liverpool follow sunday's fine EPL win over Man Utd with stunning 0-1 defeat to Portuguese side SC Braga in Europa League clash last night
Liverpool follow Sunday's fineu00a0EPL win over Man Utd with stunning 0-1 defeat to Portuguese sideu00a0SC Braga in Europa League clash last nightLiverpool were brought down to earth in the Europa League last nigt after losing 1-0 to Portuguese side Sporting Braga in the away leg of their last-16 tie.
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| SC Braga's Leandro Salino tries to tackle Liverpool's Joe Cole (right) during last night's Europa League clash in Braga. Reds lost 0-1. PIC/AFP |
The Reds, rejuvenated under interim coach Kenny Dalglish and 3-1 victors over arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday, will have to turn the tie around in the March 17 return leg if they are to progress to the quarter-finals.
Braga took the lead in the 18th minute in Portugal, with Alan guiding an emphatic penalty into the bottom-left corner after Mossoro had been sent sprawling by Sotiris Kyrgiakos.
Full-back Silvio came within inches of doubling the hosts' advantage 20 minutes later but his magnificent left-foot half-volley from 25 yards crashed back into play off the crossbar.
With Liverpool toiling, Dalglish introduced striker Andy Carroll for his European debut just before the hour and the burly former Newcastle man had an immediate impact.
A Carroll knock-down obliged Braga goalkeeper Artur to save at Dirk Kuyt's feet before Carroll saw a deflected left-foot shot fall narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
Kuyt then drew a sharp stop from Artur with an instinctive half-volley from the edge of the box but Braga, Champions League debutants earlier this season, withstood the pressure to claim a memorable victory.
