Rafael Benitez had warned before the game that Sofia would be a tougher test than TNS or Kaunas and so it proved to be in the first half. The Bulgarian champions took the game to Liverpool right from the first whistle and Pepe Reina had the busiest night of his Liverpool career so far.
When Liverpool opened the scoring on 24 minutes the goal came against the run of play somewhat. Steven Gerrard shaped to shoot but then played a disguised pass through to Cisse to blast the ball past goalkeeper Evgheni Hmaruc.
Fernando Morientes doubled the Reds' advantage six minutes later when he rose to head home a Steven Gerrard free-kick. It was looking comfortable for the Reds before half time but then they gave away a soft goal just before the whistle.
The goal inspired Sofia to start the second half as they had the first, but despite some frantic football they were unable to really test Reina before Morientes scored his second of the night after some good link up play between Gerrard and Cisse.
With Liverpool now holding a comanding lead Rafael Benitez was able to subsitute Gerrard, Morientes and Xabi Alonso. New Spanish signing Antonio Barragan came on as a sub for his Liverpool debut.