Pennant sent off but Rafa's 10 men hold out for draw

Trips to Marseille and Besiktas will be no walkovers for Rafael Benitez and his men as they look to reach their third Champions League final in four years, but the Premier League's top four do not win at Porto and, because they played so badly, a draw represents a satisfactory start for Liverpool.

The manager made six changes to the side that drew at Portsmouth, but it was still a lethargic display against a team who had only conceded one league goal in four games and who clearly relish visits from England's finest.

Pennant's dismissal for two yellow cards after immature challenges put the visiting team under undue pressure for a long period in the Dragon Stadium.

But Liverpool, who have lost just three games in 18 away ties in Europe, kept their discipline to extinguish any threat from the home team to record their first European point of the season.

Porto had almost made an incredible start after one minute and 45 seconds when a fortunate save from Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina prevented the home side from taking the lead.

Several passes had already gone astray when Steve Finnan tried to make a routine clearance from the right back position, only to blast it straight at talented young striker Ricardo Quaresma, who is believed to be Chelsea-bound next summer.

The ball squirmed past Jamie Carragher and into the path of Lisandro Lopez right in front of the visitors' goal, but Lopez's shot hit Reina on the left cheek.

Two minutes later Porto made a more orthodox opportunity from a corner when Sami Hyypia failed to clear an inswinging cross and the ball came back to Quaresma whose powerful drive flew over Reina's goal.

Hyypia, surprisingly restored to the back four in favour of Daniel Agger, was at fault for the night's opening goal when he allowed Tarik Sektioui to sprint behind him to reach Quaresma's neat pass into the Liverpool penalty area.

The poor Finn was treading water as the Dutchman powered into the area, forcing Reina way off his line and into a hurried challenge which brought Sektioui to his knees.

Lucho Gonzalez grabbed the ball from his team-mate as he was celebrating with fans behind Reina's goal and he confidently slammed his spot-kick down the centre of Reina's goal, deceiving the Spanish keeper who has made a habit of saving penalties, including one from Portsmouth's Kanu at the weekend.

The eighth-minute goal was a blow for Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez who had been forced to change his side unexpectedly after Xabi Alonso pulled out of training on Monday night having suffered the recurrence of a foot injury.

His absence meant the Liverpool manager ditched his plan to move Steven Gerrard to the right of midfield for his 80th European game, using his captain in his preferred role in the centre, with Pennant back on the right and Ryan Babel on the left.

Both wingers started to come into the game after the opening goal, with Babel forcing referee Lubos Michel to book his marker Jose Bosingwa for a dangerous challenge at the edge of the Porto area.

That resulting free-kick came to nothing but when Pennant was hauled down by Jorge Fucile near the halfway line, Finnan booted the ball high into the box, Hyypia met it firmly with his head and Dirk Kuyt was left unmarked to head past keeper Nuno from close range for his first goal of the season in the 17th minute.

Although the Portuguese league leaders had not lost at home to English opposition in nine games at home, including matches against all the top four Premier League clubs, most of those encounters were goalless.

So two in the opening 20 minutes was a welcome surprise for a crowd which was way below the 51,000 capacity.

Jesualdo Ferreira's side quickly took the game to Liverpool again, Lucho Gonzalez hitting the sidenetting from long range and Raul Meireles blasting over from Quaresma's clever free-kick. But the best chance to regain the lead came in the 26th minute after Pennant was shown his first yellow card for a rash tackle on Sektioui.

Predictably, Quaresma delivered the teasing cross from the set-piece, Sektioui headed across goal and somehow defender Joao Paulo put his header wide.

Liverpool, meanwhile, looked content to rely on counter attacks and set-pieces for their opportunities.

Fernando Torres received very little service on his Champions League debut for the visitors and their only shot was a blocked effort from Babel.

But Benitez's hopes of starting the group phase with a win suffered a blow in the 58th minute when Pennant was dismissed for a second booking after wiping out Fucile in the corner in front of the Liverpool fans when the ball was going into touch.

Porto continued to press, with Quaresma outstanding, and indeed he had a shot cleared off the line by Hyypia, but Liverpool somehow survived.

FC Porto: Nuno, Bruno Alves, Paulo Assuncao, Quaresma, Lucho Gonzalez, Lopez, Bosingwa, Fucile, Joao Paulo, Raul Meireles, Sektioui. Subs: Ventura, Stepanov, Cech, Mariano Gonzalez, Bolatti, Farias, Kazmierczak.

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Arbeloa, Carragher, Pennant, Mascherano, Babel, Gerrard, Torres, Kuyt. Subs: Itandje, Agger, Voronin, Benayoun, Aurelio, Crouch, Lucas.