Talk about making an entrance. The teams were out for the second half, the spectators were seated and the referees were ready to get going but there was one problem: two players were missing. So Anfield waited patiently, expectantly and then they got what they wanted: emerging from the tunnel, wearing No 7 and No 9, came Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres, two of this stadium’s most revered former sons. This was an afternoon for nostalgia, a chance for Liverpudlians to embrace the past and pay homage to some returning heroes and they grabbed their chance when Suarez and Torres took to the field for this All-Star Charity match, between teams captained by Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher. Steven Gerrard (third left) is congratulated by former Liverpool strikers Fernando Torres (second left) and Luis Suarez (third right) at Anfield . Suarez, Torres, Luis Garcia, Xabi Alonso, Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt, Pepe Reina and Alvaro Arbeloa pose for a photograph after the game . Mario Balotelli, who hasn't shown his best form since arriving at Liverpool for £16million in the summer, scored a brilliant goal from long range . Drogba Drogba added a second goal to put Jamie Carragher's side 2-0 up, latching on to a pass and rounding goalkeeper Brad Jones to score . Gerrard converted a penalty to bring his team back into the game on a sunny afternoon at Anfield in the all-star charity game . A second penalty of the afternoon followed for Gerrard in the second half and he duly converted that one too to level the scores . Steven Gerrard's XI: Jones (Vigouroux 78 mins), Johnson, A Gerrard (Dann 46), Terry (Williams 46), Riise (Warnock 46), S Gerrard (Teixeira 81), Alonso (Teixeira 32) (Adam 46), Nolan (Spearing 46), Babel, Sinclair (Torres 46), Henry (Suarez 46). Manager: Brendan Rodgers . Jamie Carragher's XI: Reina (Gulacsi 61), Flanagan (Moreno 32), Carragher, Kelly, Arbeloa (Clichy 46), Lucas (Maguire 72), Shelvey (Noone 46), Kewell (Borini 46), Downing (Bellamy 46), Drogba (Garcia 46), Balotelli (Brannagan 46). Manager: Roy Evans . Attendance: 44,903 . Torres, who was sold to Chelsea for £50million two days after Suarez joined Liverpool in January 2011, had admitted to being unsure what kind of reception he would receive, given the circumstances in which he had left. There was also the fact that his last touch on this ground came on April 27 last year, when he slipped the ball past the stranded Simon Mignolet to Willian. The upshot, of course, was the Brazilian scoring and Chelsea blowing a hole in Liverpool’s title challenge. He need not have worried. His name was cheered before the game, he was hailed on to the pitch and his was the first name sung in the second half of a ‘contest’ that should see local charities benefit to the tune of more than £1m. It wasn’t just about Torres, though. This was an opportunity for many big names from Liverpool’s past to say proper goodbyes, for men like Xabi Alonso, Pepe Reina, Suarez, Jon Arne Riise and the non-playing Dirk Kuyt to bring closure to certain chapters in their respective careers. Alonso, for one, had waited six years for this. He could have had a reunion last October with Real Madrid in the Champions League but he had been sold to Bayern Munich two months before. Alonso found out about the emotional draw moments after completing his medical in Germany. He, clearly, enjoyed the 30 minutes he was on the pitch, as did everyone else involved in the game, which came from an idea Gerrard had to say thank you to Liverpool as a city before he starts his new venture in Los Angeles. Drogba puts an arm around West Ham United midfielder Kevin Nolan as stars from across Gerrard and Carragher's careers came out to play . Harry Kewell plays a pass with his left foot as Chelsea captain John Terry and Liverpool captain Gerrard, playing on the same team, watch on . Balotelli opened the scoring at Anfield after just eight minutes, getting ahead of opposition captain Gerrard to slam in a long-range shot . Carragher and his Sky Sports colleague Thierry Henry share a laugh and a high five after the former defender thwarts his friend's chance . Drogba doubled the lead after deceiving goalkeeper Jones with a step-over and then coolly finishing into the empty net at the Kop end . Chelsea's Ivorian centre forward has scored 11 goals against Liverpool during his long career so it was no surprise to see him score at Anfield . Take John Terry and Didier Drogba. For so long these two Chelsea stalwarts have been regarded as the enemy but both were given generous receptions for helping the cause, particularly Drogba when he scored the second goal of the game for Carragher’s team on 31 minutes. The first had been scored by Mario Balotelli and a cracker it was too, the Italian whipping a 25-yard drive that fizzed into the corner of The Kop net on nine minutes. He wasn’t put under great pressure but the finish still smacked of class. At one stage it looked as if Carragher’s side, managed by Roy Evans, would saunter to victory but Gerrard has made comebacks a fixture of his Liverpool career and he ensured this match did not end in defeat. He scored two penalties, one in the 36th minute after Martin Kelly had adjudged to trip Jerome Sinclair and another just after the hour when Carragher quite clearly barged Luis Suarez over. Some would say the Sportsmail columnist was lucky not to make it into Lee Probert’s book. The icing on the cake would have been a goal for either Torres or Suarez but, despite the best efforts of the Uruguayan in particular, it never arrived. No matter. A draw was an appropriate end to a memorable day. The smiles on the faces as a lap of honour was completed confirmed that. Balotelli and Drogba share an embrace after their goals gave Carragher's XI the lead from early on in the charity game . Bayern Munich midfielder Alonso leaves the field at Anfield to a warm ovation and an embrace with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers . Jerome Sinclair was brought down by Martin Kelly inside the Carragher XI penalty area to give Gerrard the chance to pull a goal back . Pepe Reina does his best to put his old team-mate off ahead of his attempt from the spot, but the jibes were all good-natured between the pair . Gerrard was obviously not phased by Reina's antics, and he sent the Spanish keeper the wrong way from the spot, shooting to his left . Two former Liverpool strikers entered the field as half-time substitutes, with Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres both returning to Anfield . Torres holds off the challenge of current Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva as he got back into the experience of playing on Merseyside . Gerrard tucks away his second penalty of the afternoon to level the scores for his team after they came from two goals behind . Afterwards Gerrard told LFC TV: 'It has been absolute brilliant, more than anything the charities have done well with a full house. 'The hairs on my neck were standing up. There were times I didn't know who to pass to. People have gone out of their way to come here. 'It has been absolutely magical. Every player who was asked to come here did, whether they had to drive for an hour or get three flights.' Suarez plants a kiss on the head of his former captain after he converted the penalty won by the Uruguayan to make it 2-2 at Anfield . Charlie Adam tries to get the ball away from Lucas in midfield as the two teams enjoyed a well-fought but fair game on Sunday afternoon . Carragher and Reina, who spent years together at Anfield, enjoy a moment out on the pitch as they renewed their defensive link-up . Suarez, Torres, Garcia, Alonso, Gerrard,  Kuyt and  Arbeloa (left to right) gather for a photo together after the full-time whistle . The famous Anfield scoreboard shows the names of two of the stadium's most famous players after their two teams played out a 2-2 draw . Balotelli posted this photo after the game captioned: 'LEGENDS. Always nice to see you guys, @didierdrogba you are welcome for my pass . Drogba, Torres and Terry pose together as they caught up on their days at Chelsea together in the Anfield dressing rooms after the game .
Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher selected teams to take part in a charity match at Liverpool's Anfield home . Current Liverpool star Mario Balotelli opened the scoring for Carragher's XI from long range after eight minutes . Chelsea striker Didier Drogba doubled the lead on 21 minutes after rounding goalkeeper Brad Jones . Gerrard pulled a goal back for his side eight minutes before half-time after Jerome Sinclair went down for a penalty .