Mario cameo helps Liverpool beat Swansea

Mar io Balotelli scored just his second goal for Liverpool in 12 appearances as they came from behind to beat Premier League rivals Swansea 2-1 and advance into the last eight of the League Cup at Anfield on Tuesday.

Balotelli has struggled since his 16 million ($26 million, 20 million euros) pre-season move fromAC Milan and on Tuesday he was on the bench until 11 minutes from time.

When the Italian striker was sent on by Reds boss Brendan Rodgers -- a former Swansea manager -- Liverpool were trailing 1-0 to Marvin Emnes’s 65th-minute goal. But four minutes from time Balotelli evaded t he visitors’ defence to equalise Then, with extratime looming, Swansea’s Federico Fernandez was controversially sent off for a challenge on Philippe Coutinho. And in the fifth minute of stoppagetime, Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren got on the end of a Coutinho free-kick that Swansea keeper Gerhard Tremmel came for and missed to head home the winner -- his first goal for Liverpool.

Balotelli posted a oneword tweet of “finally” to express his relief at scoring, while Liverpool assistant manager Colin Pascoe said: “He is working hard in training and he got his just rewards coming on and gettingthegoal.”Meanwhile Swansea manager Garry Monksaidhehopedreferee KeithStroudwouldoverturn Fernandez’s red card.

“How he saw that as a red card... but Keith is a good referee, hopefully he will see sense and rescind it for us.” Premier League leaders Chelsea survived a scare before seeing off fourth-tier Shrewsbury 2-1.