Liverpool have held Borussia Dortmund to a 1-1 draw in Germany to gain a slight advantage at the halfway stage of their Europa League quarter-final.
Jurgen Klopp was making his first return to the Westfalenstadion since his seven-year stay at Dortmund ended last summer, and he came away with a draw to take back into the second leg at Anfield next week.
Divock Origi gave the visitors a surprise lead in the first half, and the Reds were able to hold on after a Mats Hummels equaliser to pick up a positive result in their bid reach the semi-finals.
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The hosts went into the match looking to extend their 16-game unbeaten streak so far this year, and they had the first shooting opportunity when Marco Reus dragged an effort wide from just outside the area.
The first real chance of the contest arrived moments later when Julian Weigl and Marcel Schmelzer combined to set up a golden opportunity for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but Mamadou Sakho was there to make a goal-saving block inside his own area.
Liverpool were holding their own against the Europa League favourites, though, and had a clear chance to go in front themselves midway through the first half when Dejan Lovren could only nod James Milner's free kick straight at Roman Weidenfeller when he should have done better.
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Alberto Moreno then lashed one over from the edge of the box after a corner had only been cleared as far as the full-back, before Patrick-Emerick Aubameyang saw a free kick deflected wide off Origi in the wall.
It took another important interception from Sakho to keep Dortmund at bay just past the half-hour mark when he positioned himself to block Aubameyang's cross with an unmarked Reus waiting inside the area.
Dortmund were beginning to find a bit more space inside the Liverpool half, with Mkhitaryan in particular looking increasingly dangerous when he pulled one effort wide from the edge of the box before setting up Aubameyang for another disappointing strike that was easy for Simon Mignolet.
It was Liverpool who gained a shock lead against the run of play, though, as Jordan Henderson's flick found Origi 10 minutes before half time, and the Belgian justified his inclusion ahead of Daniel Sturridge when sending a deflected effort past Weidenfeller.
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Nathaniel Clyne and Milner both threatened in quick succession shortly afterwards, before Mignolet made another routine stop to keep out Eric Durm's tame effort from outside the area.
That sparked a frantic end to the first half with chances for both sides, though, as first Lovren made a crucial block to deny Aubameyang before Mignolet kept out Reus at the back post from the resulting corner.
Just as it looked like Liverpool would be hanging on until half time, they broke forward through Moreno, who sent Origi clean through on goal, but the striker was denied by Weidenfeller when one on one with the keeper.
That miss proved to be costly within three minutes of the restart as Dortmund levelled things up through a towering header from Hummels, who climbed above Adam Lallana to meet Mkhitaryan's cross.
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Liverpool responded well to that, however, and after Origi had lashed one shot wide of the target, Philippe Coutinho drew a strong one-handed stop from Weidenfeller after Origi, Joe Allen and Lallana had all combined to set him up.
Weidenfeller suddenly found himself very busy as Liverpool pushed for a second away goal, with the veteran keeper having to keep out Clyne's long-range strike before denying Coutinho again from the rebound moments later.
Dortmund soon gained a measure of control over the game again, but they struggled to create clear chances, with Mignolet making simple saves to deny Nuri Sahin and Reus from outside the area.
That proved to be the last of the goalmouth action as Liverpool were able to blunt the attacking threat of their usually free-scoring hosts over the final half-hour to take a draw and an away goal back to Anfield next Thursday.
Barney Corkhill
