Football: The day Camara clicked for Houllier

Sheffield Wednesday 1

Carbone 88

Liverpool 2

Fowler 75, Camara 84

Half-time: 0-0 Attendance: 34,853

AMID THE hordes of newcomers from all corners of Europe, it was two well-established Englishmen who guided Liverpool to a well-deserved victory at Hillsborough.

With their new captain, Jamie Redknapp, driving them forward impressively from midfield, Gerard Houllier's radically remodelled side dominated the game more and more convincingly as it went on. The only question was whether they would be able to convert that superiority into goals, with Robbie Fowler the surprising culprit for much of their reluctance to do so.

Fowler missed a couple of chances that he would invariably expect to put away, notably an open goal just before the hour when Redknapp's powerful free kick was only beaten out by Pavel Srnicek. The net was vacant but Fowler, to his own obvious disgust, headed over.

All was forgiven in the 74th minute, when he latched on to a perceptibly angled ball from Vladimir Smicer and deftly flighted his shot over Srnicek.

Fowler was also largely responsible for a second goal that turned out to be a necessary insurance policy for Liverpool. His 25-yard shot was again too well struck for the uncertain Srnicek to hold and Titi Camara, an enthusiastic striking partner for Fowler all afternoon in the absence of the injured Michael Owen, followed up to score.

With five newcomers in their starting line-up, it was perhaps not surprising that Liverpool should have lacked some coherence earlier in the game, as the players had to contend with a footballing equivalent of the Tower of Babel.

They were not helped by the loss of one of their debutants, Dietmar Hamman, with an ankle injury and, although Smicer had a shot cleared off the line by Jon Newsome, it was one of Wednesday's imports who most caught the eye.

The Belgian forward Gilles de Bilde had one beautifully balanced run, and, soon after, hit the crossbar of a Liverpool goal guarded by Sander Westerveld for the first time. Had he not missed his kick as he chased a long clearance deep into the exposed Liverpool area just before half- time, the game could have been very different.

"I told my players before the game that the first game of the season was less about tactics than character and the will to do something well for the season," said Houllier. "I knew it would be difficult here because only one Liverpool team out of the last 11 have won at Hillsborough."

That, and the recent memory of a closing-day defeat on the same ground in May, put Liverpool's performance into context, but Houllier credited Redknapp with holding together during the discordant hubbub of the first half.

As for Fowler, officially designated as Redknapp's firstlieutenant, full marks for persistence. "He could have thought `It's not my day,' but right to the end he worked hard and he got his reward," said Houllier.

Danny Wilson, Wednesday's manager, was also impressed with the visitors. "I feel Liverpool played well. They showed just what a good side they are. If this performance is anything to go by, they are going to be in the shake-up," he said. "Things can only get better for them."

For Wednesday, Benito Carbone was responsible for the three biggest cheers of the afternoon. The first was when he began to warm up on the touchline, the second when he was introduced as a substitute with 21 minutes to play, and the third and most tumultuous when he hit a stunning half-volley into Westerveld's top corner with three minutes left.

Wilson confined Carbone to a role on the bench for most of the afternoon because of the uncertainty over his future - the Italian does not want to sign a new contract - but the reaction of the Hillsborough crowd left little doubt where their sympathies lay.