LONDON - Simon Mignolet saved a last-gasp penalty to earn Liverpool a 1-0 win over Stoke City on the opening day of the new English Premier League season at Anfield on Saturday.
The Belgian goalkeeper, a £9 million (S$17.8 million) signing from Sunderland, parried Jon Walters' 89th-minute spot-kick and then brilliantly blocked Kenwyne Jones' follow-up after Daniel Agger was penalised for handball.
The game, the first domestic league match in the world to be played with goal-line technology in place, was ultimately decided by a low 20-metre strike from Daniel Sturridge in the 37th minute.
Sturridge had the honour of scoring the first goal of the new season.
The England striker drilled a crisp, low shot past Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from just outside the penalty area.
