Goalkeeper Pepe Reina accidentally turned the ball into his own goal to hand Arsenal a 1-1 draw at Liverpool in their Premier League opener Sunday. Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh headed Tomas Rosicky's header onto the goal post in the 90th minute and the ball bounced back to Reina, who fumbled it over the line in an uncharacteristic blunder. The equalizer came after Liverpool overcame Joe Cole's sending off at the end of the first half to take the lead at the start of the second when David Ngog's powerful shot beat Manuel Almunia at his near post. Laurent Koscielny, who was the victim of Cole's red-card lunge, was sent off himself in second-half stoppage time after being shown a second yellow card for handling. This was Roy Hodgson's first significant challenge as Liverpool manager, having replaced Rafa Benitez after last season's disappointing seventh-place finish. Hodgson's mission to build confidence was helped by pledges of loyalty from captain Steven Gerrard and Spain striker Fernando Torres, who replaced Ngog in the 74th minute having recovered from the groin injury sustained in the July 11 World Cup final. Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano made Liverpool's starting lineup despite telling the club he wants to leave. Arsenal's main offseason success was rejecting Barcelona's continued pursuit of Cesc Fabregas, but the captain missed the opener with a chest infection. Despite Fabregas' absence, Arsenal initially looked more confident at a sunny Anfield. In a first-half with limited goal-scoring chances, Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen unleashed a fierce 30-meter strike after five minutes that Reina pushed clear. Wenger's youthful squad is chasing the club's first Premier League title since 2004 and the Frenchman handed Wilshere his first Arsenal start – four days after the 18-year-old midfielder made his England debut. Wilshere's main talking point before being replaced in the second half was a lunge on Mascherano in the 40th which earned him a booking. A similarly reckless challenge saw Cole red-carded with half time approaching, with referee Martin Atkinson punishing the free recruit from Chelsea for a mistimed challenge on Koscielny, who was stretchered off but re-emerged at the start of the second half. Far from jolting Liverpool, the unchanged Reds pushed forward from the whistle at the start of the second period. Mascherano sent the ball through to Ngog and the French striker, who had a 40th-minute header cleared off the line by Gael Clichy, dispatched a shot that Almunia was powerless to block. For all Arsenal's attacking exuberance, the failure to sign a new goalkeeper could again prove costly for the team. Almunia missed the ball completely in the 32nd when he flapped at a corner. Before Reina's gaffe, the Spanish goalkeeper had produced a superb save, tipping over Rosicky's shot that was heading into he top corner. Chelsea is the early front-runner after thrashing West Bromwich Albion 6-0 in its opener Saturday. Hamburg, Wolfsburg thru Ruud van Nistelrooy scored three goals to lead Hamburger SV to a 5-1 win over fifth-tier Torgelower SV Greif and a place in the second round of the German Cup. Paolo Guerrero and David Jarolim added the other goals for the Bundesliga side in new coach Armin Veh's first official game. Steve McClaren had a winning start as the first English coach of a Bundesliga side when Wolfsburg beat fourth-division Preussen Muenster 2
