Owen saves Liverpool and breaks club record

Olimpija Ljubljana 1 Liverpool 1

Michael Owen broke Ian Rush's club scoring record in Europe and saved Liverpool from an embarrassing Uefa Cup defeat in Slovenia

Gérard Houllier's side had failed to stamp their quality on this first-round first leg and found themselves behind to an Anton Zlogar goal after 66 minutes. But Owen headed in his 21st goal in Europe with 13 minutes remaining to earn the visitors a draw.

"I felt relief when he scored," Houllier said, "and also hope because when you score away from home it may be vital for the second leg. Their goalkeeper kept them in the game for a long time and it's just a shame we conceded a goal."

The Slovenians had started with pace and spirit, but the best early chance fell to Liverpool's Anthony le Tallec after 13 minutes, the 18-year-old driving over the bar from a good position on the right. Houllier was forced into bringing on Steven Gerrard after only 14 minutes, Danny Murphy having picked up an ankle injury.

Owen had a goal disallowed after 27 minutes when he was ruled offside after chasing up a Salif Diao drive which Borut Mavric saved low to his left.

Olimpija were then disrupted at the back as first Enes Handanagic, then Janez Aljancic and finally Igor Lazic were all taken off after picking up injuries.

A minute into the second half, John Arne Riise's swirling left-wing cross was missed by three colleagues, Le Tallec being the most guilty. Jerzy Dudek then had to be at his best to pull down a Zlogar hook.

It was soon Mavric's turn to impress, producing a stunning one-handed save to turn away a curler from Harry Kewell that looked to be heading for the top corner.

After Emile Heskey headed wide from a good position, the value of that save was underlined as Nedim Jusufbegovic was given too much time to set up a shot, which eluded Dudek's dive and cannoned back off the post for Zlogar to followed up and slot the ball home.

The goal failed to soothe the Olimpija coach, Suad Besirovic, who found himself sent to the stands by the Spanish referee for persistently complaining to the officials. His mood was made worse when Owen scored his record-breaking goal. Riise's cross from the left found the striker leaping to send a precise header wide of Mavric.

Olimpija (4-4-2): Mavric; Lazic (Grabic, h-t), Budicin, Handanagic (Mirtic, 29), Aljancic (Pokorn, 36); Ilic, Zlogar, Barun, Jusufbegovic; Rudonja, Puc. Substitutes not used: Popivoda, Kreft, Kosic, Kmetec.

Liverpool (4-4-2): Dudek; Diao (Finnan, 69), Hyypia, Biscan, Riise; Murphy (Gerrard, 15), Smicer, Le Tallec (Welsh, 87), Kewell; Owen, Heskey. Substitutes: Luzi Bernardi (gk), Henchoz, Traoré, Sinama-Pongolle.

Referee: J Santiago (Spain).