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Basle 1 - Liverpool 0: Lacklustre Liverpool suffer tame defeat in Switzerland
LIVERPOOL were unable to build on their positive start to the Champions League after suffering a tame defeat at the hands of Basle.
Liverpool were not their usual dynamic and incisive selves, lacking the same fluency that earned them their spot in the competition.
Veteran forward Marco Streller pounced on a loose ball in the goalmouth in the 52nd minute to earn the Swiss champion's first Group B points after a 5-1 loss at Real Madrid.
Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren failed to deal with a routine corner, leaving Simon Mignolet to palm the ball back into the six-yard box where Streller was able to sweep the ball home.
Basel represented everything that Liverpool epitomised last season, high intensity on and off the ball.
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Basel is now unbeaten in seven matches against English opposition in the competition's opening group stage - a run started 12 years ago when it advanced ahead of Liverpool.
Liverpool's best effort was Mario Balotelli's swerving, 60th-minute free kick from 30 meters (yards) blocked awkwardly by goalkeeper Tomas Vaslik.
Madrid leads the group after winning 2-1 at Bulgarian newcomer Ludogorets Razgrad.
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