SOCCER/UEFA Cup quarter final, first leg - Celtic ... 1 Liverpool ... 1: Liverpool have many achievements to treasure in their history, but during this turbulent season they will still rejoice at having stopped Celtic from recording a 10th consecutive home win in European competition, writes Kevin McCarra at Celtic Park.

They did so, too, while looking as if they will be the masters of this UEFA Cup-tie.

In spells, their opponents had to draw more deeply than they wished on their resilience. Nonetheless, this was certainly not an evening dedicated to caution and tactical niceties.

Matches lead stubborn lives of their own and managers often feel like the parents of insubordinate children. With all predictions pointing towards a cramped contest, this match began with so little inhibition that Celtic had taken the lead and lost it within 17 minutes.

Perhaps that was just the overspill from the heaving passions aroused when two such clubs from these islands confront one another.

Rules are shelved on these occasions and Henrik Larsson was back ahead of the conventional medical timetable, less than five weeks after breaking his jaw. No matter how his face might be feeling, the forward had mouths opening wide in riotous exclamation when he scored for Celtic in the third minute, but this is too substantial a tie to be swayed decisively as early as that.

Although Liverpool had started as if their ears were ringing and their minds reeling from the sonic shock of this venue, it was not long before they found their own measured voice.

Even if they were deadlocked at the interval, there was no common ground in the strategies adopted. Celtic hoped to surprise Gerard Houllier's side with audacity, thereby braving the risks from the Anfield side's renowned counter-attacking.

Martin O'Neill listed his captain Paul Lambert among the substitutes and thus gave himself the scope to employ an attacking trident, with Chris Sutton working in close support of John Hartson and Larsson. Even more unpredictably, there was the gamble, which brought no pay-out, of picking the inexperienced Jamie Smith on the right flank.

Liverpool simply depended on well-established figures instructed to stick to their normal routine.

There was an initial impression that it was Celtic, seething with ambition, who would transcend convention. Within seconds of the kick-off, Hartson had turned onto a Sutton knock down and clipped the top of the bar with a drive.

When Hartson's clumsy first touch narrowed his shooting angle on the right soon afterwards, he sent the ball flying across the target and Alan Thompson returned it for Larsson to bundle a goal home from close range.

That breakthrough, however, proved to be an advantage that consoled Celtic in the remainder of the first-half as Liverpool manipulated the ball with much more expertise.

O'Neill's side looked outnumbered as Houllier's men found a rhythm. Their equaliser was subtly worked, even if it began with Smith's misjudgment in thinking he could make an interception. As he lunged and missed, John Arne Riise cut inside, embarked on a run and, as the Celtic defence became engrossed with him, played a reverse pass into the left of the penalty area. The angle was trying, but Emile Heskey's finish was meticulously directed just inside the far post.

Soon afterwards, Thompson, presumably injured, had to be replaced by the veteran Steve Guppy.

In their own arena, the Scottish champions had to retreat and regroup, conscious that a period of stability against opponents who looked as if they might well regain the UEFA Cup they won in 2001.

While O'Neill's team could not mimic the fluency that confronted them there was encouragement in the realisation that Liverpool often settle for tactical control rather than incisiveness.

It must have dawned on them that the Celtic goalkeeper, Rab Douglas, was having a quiet night despite the cacophony from the stands. Jerzy Dudek had been busier, even if the duties had largely been performed in the opening exchanges.

The Pole's labours were not over. It might only have been the rustiness of Larsson's lay-off that prevented him from pouncing once again.

When Hartson, during a counter-attack, released the Swede his control was awry and, marginally out of position, he could not force a shot beyond the advancing Dudek.

While this match did not duplicate the quality of the 2-2 draw played out on this ground six years ago, it twanged the nerves in identical fashion as will next week's return.

CELTIC: Douglas, Mjallby, Balde, Valgaeren, Smith, Lennon, Petrov, Sutton, Thompson (Guppy 26), Larsson (Lambert 76), Hartson. Subs Not Used: Marshall, Sylla, McNamara, Maloney, Crainey. Booked: Petrov, Guppy. Goals: Larsson 3.

LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore, Riise, Murphy, Gerrard, Hamann, Diouf (Biscan 90), Owen, Heskey. Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Baros, Smicer, Diao, Cheyrou, Mellor. Goals: Heskey 17.

Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway).