Second-half goals by Thiago Alcantara and Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool a 2-0 2-0 win over FC Porto to maintain their 100% record in Champions League Group B on Wednesday.
– What every team needs to get out of their UCL group
– ESPN + viewing guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more
Porto, who started the day as number two in the group behind already qualified Liverpool, wasted several opportunities in the first half and were forced to pay a high price.
Their record against Liverpool is now at 10 played, three draws and lost seven.
Liverpool, with people like Virgil van Dijk and Jordan Henderson resting, took the lead through Thiago’s stunning low attack in the 52nd minute before Salah secured the points with a clinical finish in the 70th.
“So many good things happened tonight, players got minutes, rhythm, confidence, no one got hurt,” said Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp. “Thiago’s goal … wow!”
Klopp’s team has a maximum of 15 points from their five matches, while Porto hung in second place with five points thanks to Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 home defeat to AC Milan.
Porto host Atletico (four) in their last match in the group, with Milan (four) hosting Liverpool.
With the top spot already secured, it was an evening for some of Liverpool’s outfielders to impress as 19-year-old Tyler Morton made his Champions League debut and Takumi Minamino made a rare start.
“People may be surprised by Tyler Morton, but he did exceptionally well,” Klopp said. “He’s a good player and really happy on his behalf that he performed like this.”
Still, Liverpool failed in the first half, with Porto being the better side.
The Portuguese champions were close to taking the lead when Mehdi Taremi’s gleaming header deflected Joel Matip and went narrowly past Alisson’s post.
Evanilson then got a shot blocked by Ibrahima Konate, but Porto’s best chance came when Colombian Luis Diaz ran off and made room for Otavio, who shot terribly wide under pressure from Kostas Tsimikas.
“We probably had the best in the first half, we created three or four chances and defensively we were disciplined,” said Porto coach Sergio Conceicao.
“But then the individual quality of Liverpool players and our lack of offensive efficiency made the difference. We were not effective enough tonight.
“But I always said the group would be settled in the playoffs and we can still reach the quarterfinals.”
Liverpool occasionally shifted gears, believing they had taken the lead when Thiago’s pass split the Porto defense and Sadio Mane ran through to score. However, his celebration of his 50th European match for Liverpool was interrupted by a VAR check, which showed that he had been quite offside.
Conceicao was so furious before the break that Taremi bizarrely probably chose to try to pick a teammate as he had the chance to test Alisson.
The chances kept popping up for Porto at the start of the second half as Mateus Uribe’s shot on the turn flashed past the post and they were soon to regret their waste.
After 52 minutes, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sent a free kick in high over the penalty box. However, Thiago made a spectacular save. .
Salah then combined with substitute Henderson before cutting in from the right and hitting Costa with a left-footed shot for his sixth goal so far in the group stage.
“It would be good to go through with all the victories to move on in the competition,” said Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. “Everyone dreams of playing at the San Siro in the Champions League, away in Milan, and that’s what we’re here to do.”
Post a Comment