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Missed chances frustrate Benitez

Posted on September 17, 2009 at 01:19 PM.

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Benitez praised the discipline of Hungarian club Debrecen

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez conceded his side made heavy weather of securing their Champions League victory over Debrecen in Group E.

"We made a lot of chances and just did not take them," said Benitez after his side earned their third win in a row by beating the Hungarian club 1-0.

"So we ended up under pressure at the end of the match when we should have been winning comfortably.

"Although we did not score the goals we wanted, we did win and I'm happy."

He added: "We are confident now, we are winning games in a row and we have started the Champions League with three points but hopefully we will be much better next time."

Dirk Kuyt got the winner for the Reds when he slotted in after a Fernando Torres strike was parried but Debrecen refused to buckle.

"We did not know too much about Debrecen but we knew they had good players and they would have to show their quality on a higher stage - but they certainly did that," stated Benitez.

"Debrecen can take credit for their display, this may be their first game at this level but they have dominated in Hungary for several years and you could see why.

"They were well organised and worked very hard. What we had to do was score the second goal and then it would have been easier but we could not manage to do that."

Debrecen provided Liverpool with some nervy moments late on and their coach Andras Herczeg suggested the Reds were hanging on for the win.

"We were still in with a chance at the end," said Herczeg. "It says everything that I put on an extra striker and Rafa Benitez responded by putting on a world-class midfielder in Javier Mascherano.

"That speaks for itself, we were threatening and they wanted to make sure they hung on to the win.

"We were maybe a little overawed at the beginning with everything about Anfield. They are a world-class team and they were always going to create a lot of chances.

"But it was a shame we conceded the goal so close to the break. We were not concentrating and paid for that.

"We certainly stood up to the pressure they created and the chances they made."

In the other Group E game, French club Lyon beat Fiorentina 1-0, with the Italian outfit having striker Alberto Gilardino sent off in the first half for an elbowing incident.