EUROPEAN nights have often been the ideal stage for Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool to demonstrate their powers of recovery.

But not even the delight at another late, late fightback could mask the fact they cannot take full credit for this latest escape act.

If Liverpool have bristled at accusations they have been over-reliant on the rub of the green this season, there can be no denying only good fortune ultimately helped them avoid a second successive defeat.

It required a highly-contentious injury-time penalty that was won and then converted by Steven Gerrard to snatch an unlikely draw against Atletico Madrid from an absorbing Champions League group clash.

Benitez had called for his team to show they possess the mental strength to cope with setbacks after their unbeaten start to the season was shattered by an agonising last-gasp loss at Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend. But rather than disprove the doubters last night, Liverpool merely added grist to their mill with a disappointing performance.

A brilliant goal from Maxi Rodriguez eight minutes before half-time had appeared enough to consign the Anfield outfit to a second defeat in four days and send Atletico Madrid to the last 16.

That was until Gerrard and defender Mariano Pernia collided in the penalty area at the Kop end deep into injury time.

It seemed a pretty innocuous clash between two players committed to a bouncing ball, but referee Martin Hansson, after consultation with his assistant, pointed to the spot. Amid the inevitable hullabaloo, Gerrard held his nerve, as he had against Portsmouth the previous week, to net his sixth goal of the season.

Atletico were livid, although there was no question of Gerrard having dived. But, as in the 1-1 draw between the teams in Madrid a fortnight earlier, this was an evening for the officials to forget.

Liverpool could point to a nailed-on penalty that should have been awarded earlier on for a clear handball by Luis Perea, while Atletico were aggrieved Jamie Carragher was not censured for two similar, if not as obvious, offences.

With only one victory required from their final two group games at home to Marseille and away at PSV Eindhoven, Liverpool are still favourites to progress from Group D along with their La Liga rivals. But an uninspired display should concern Benitez, his players struggling to find a way through a well-drilled Atletico defence and then wasteful of the chances that did eventually come their way.

Certainly, Fernando Torres cannot return to action quick enough.

The striker was again absent with the hamstring problem that ruled him out for the previous five games, including an emotional return to the Vicente Calderon.

Benitez has retained faith in the 4-2-3-1 formation, but the reality is that system only prospers with Torres as its spearhead. Robbie Keane, still finding his way at Anfield, is becoming weighed down by the added responsibility of being the sole striker.

History sounded a warning for Benitez’s side. Liverpool had won only two of their 11 previous games at home to Spanish, scoring only two goals in the last nine meetings here.

Taking a note from Portsmouth’s performance here the previous Wednesday, Atletico flooded midfield to form an imposing barrier. Indeed, it was telling the clearest early opportunities for Benitez’s side came from the long-range passing of Alonso.

From one such delivery, a raking, diagonal 60-yard ball, good movement from Keane lost marker John Heitinga and the Irishman controlled well on his chest before unleashing a venomous drive that flashed narrowly wide of Atletico goalkeeper Leo Franco’s left-hand post.

Albert Riera sent a difficult volley off target at the far stick from another deep Alonso pass but Atletico were far more obdurate opposition than two weeks earlier, their doggedness typified in the 33rd minute when Riera chested into the path of an onrushing Gerrard but Luis Perea stuck his foot out to clear.

Moments later, Keane should have netted in his third successive Champions League game when he raced on to Alvaro Arbeloa’s pass, beat the offside trap but moved too close to goalkeeper Leo Franco, who got a hand to the ball and the chance was lost.

And that profligacy was punished eight minutes before half-time when the visitors went ahead with an excellent goal.

Heitinga’s floated pass along the line was brilliantly taken in his stride by Antonio Lopez, the full-back then playing the ball inside for the incoming Rodriguez to lift over Jamie Carragher and sidefoot beyond Pepe Reina.

Atletico had already hinted they were dangerous on the break when, with Liverpool briefly reduced to 10 men with Javier Mascherano down injured in the visiting half, Pernia crossed from the left and Simao side-footed wastefully over from six yards.

Benitez’s men were much more forceful after the interval, and Agger was only just too high with a header from Aurelio’s dangerously inswinging free-kick.

It set the tone for the half as Atletico were content to sit back and allow Liverpool to press before threatening on the counter-attack.

Agger swung a volley straight at Leo Franco after a poor defensive header fell to the feet of the Dane and Gerrard fired over from the edge of the area after Keane’s clever lay-off, the last action from the Irishman before he was replaced by Champions League debutant David Ngog.

The French substitute headed over Aurelio’s cross and then forced a corner with a near-post effort Leo Franco could only parry back into play.

Agger sent another inviting header wide, this time from Gerrard’s corner from the right, and Leo Franco made a smart save to palm over a rising 25-yard drive from Carragher.

It seemed Liverpool were heading for a second successive defeat when the intervention of Gerrard and the officials earned an unlikely point in the third minute of injury time.

But Benitez will be aware his team must improve. Such fortune cannot last forever.