Red-faced at anfield

Beleaguered English side Liverpool couldn't make use of their first half lead as they went down 3-2 to Udinese at home. The side, currently 15th in the English Premier League, took the lead through Jonjo Shelvey to go into half time 1-0, but goals from Antonio Di Natale and Giovanni Pasquale, along with a Sebastian Coates own-goal condemned them to defeat. Even the introduction of Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez couldn't ignite Liverpool's comeback.

Samuel Eto'o scored twice to give ambitious Anzhi Makhachkala a 2-0 Europa League win over Young Boys on Thursday while Liverpool lost 3-2 at home to Udinese and Videton, Sparta Prague and Molde pulled off surprise wins. Defending champions Atletico Madrid, one of several teams fielding a second string line-up, needed a goal deep in stoppage time from Cristian Rodriguez to overcome defiant Czechs Viktoria Plzen 1-0.

The Uruguayan player known as The Onion let fly from outside the area to leave Diego Simeone's team with six points from two games at the top of Group B.

Eto'o, who last week ended his stand-off with Cameroon officials and agreed to play for his country again, converted a 62th minute penalty against the run of play. He then turned in Oleg Shatov's cross in the last minute to complete a 2-0 win over the Swiss side and extend Anzhi's unbeaten run to seven matches in the competition, including the qualifiers.

Liverpool were another side to rest regulars but still took a first-half lead through Jonjo Shelvey. However, Antonio Di Natale levelled with a goal immediately after the break and he cleverly set a third for Giovanni Pasquale shortly after Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates headed into his own goal.

Liverpool brought on Uruguay forward Luis Suarez who scored with a perfectly flighted free kick but could not inspire an equaliser.

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