Betis 1 - Liverpool 2

Betis: Doblas; Melli, Juanito (Xisco 46'), Rivas, Oscar López; Marcos Assunçao, Arzu (Capi 71'); Joaquín, Fernando (Dani 35'), Varela; Oliveira. 4-2-3-1.
Liverpool: Reina; Josemi, Carragher, Hyypia, Traoré; Sissoko, Xabi Alonso; Luis García, Sinama-Pongolle (Gerard 73'), Zenden (Riise 65'); Crouch (Cissé 58'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 02. Sinama-Pongolle. Picked up long ball and lifted shot over Doblas.
0-2. 14. Luis García. First time shot from Zenden's cross wide of keeper.
1-2. 51. Arzu. Ran on to Dani through ball and shot under legs of Reina.

A capacity crowd turned up to watch Betis begin their first ever Champions League campaign against reigning title holders Liverpool, but they went home disappointed after the English side ran out 1-2 winners. The Andalusians got off to a the worse possible start when, with the game only just over a minute old Sinama-Pongolle picked up a long ball from Carragher out of midfield and caught Doblas off his line with a clever lob. And although Reina had to save from Fernando soon afterwards, Luis García put the English side two up after Crouch and Zenden combined to set him up.

Serra Ferrer urged his side forward after that, and Reina had to be at his best to keep out Oliveira and then Juanito. But the frustrated manager didn't wait for half time to make his first changes, Dani coming on for Fernando in the 35th minute and then Xisco replacing Juanito at the break. The move paid off when Dani threaded the ball through to Arzu for him to pull one back soon after the restart. But Reina and his defence stood firm after that, and shortly after the keeper collected a dangerous free kick from Marcos Assunçao it was all over.