Reds edge through in nervy encounter

Round-up:  Liverpool progressed to the group stage of the Champions League with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Maccabi Haifa but…

Round-up:  Liverpool progressed to the group stage of the Champions League with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Maccabi Haifa but had a nervous last 25 minutes as they were held to a 1-1 second leg draw in Kiev.

Leading 2-1 from the Anfield leg, the 2005 European champions failed to take their chances after dominating the first half of a match played in Ukraine because of the security situation in Israel.

Liverpool finally broke through in the 54th minute when Jermaine Pennant reached the byline and picked out Peter Crouch, the big England striker showing great determination to get in front of his defender and head home from close range.

Maccabi equalised nine minutes later when Brazilian Anderson produced a rare surging run from midfield.

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Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina parried his shot but Argentine striker Roberto Colautti, who scored Maccabi's goal in the first leg, seized on the rebound to score.

That lifted the Israeli side and Reina had to produce a great save to touch clear a superb Colautti curler seven minutes from time as they sought the goal that would have taken the game to extra time.

However, five-times European champions Liverpool held out to make it into Thursday's draw.

In the Premiership, Tottenham earned their first win of the season in some style thanks to goals from Dimitar Berbatov and Jermaine Jenas against newcomers Sheffield United at White Hart Lane.

Berbatov took just seven minutes to score on his home debut when he finished off Aaron Lennon's low cross.

Ten minutes later the Bulgarian striker laid on the second when he headed down Robbie Keane's pass for Jenas to supply the finish.

A stunning goal from Marlon King was not enough to earn Watford their first top-flight victory in more than six years.

King looked as though he had given the Hornets all three points when he shot home brilliantly from 30 yards in the 63rd minute - but two minutes later West Ham were level thanks to Bobby Zamora's close-range volley.

King hit the post in the first half and Ashley Young, Dan Shittu and Darius Henderson all went close for the home side, while Zamora missed a great chance to win it for West Ham with 19 minutes remaining.

Champions League
Maccabi Haifa 1-1 Liverpool (Agg: 2-3)

Premiership
Tottenham 2-0 Sheffield United
Watford 1-1 West Ham