Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal: Reds’ second-half surge puts them in control of Champions League semi-final
Liverpool are one step closer to a third UEFA Champions League final in five seasons after a 2-0 win against Villarreal in the first leg of their semi-final tie at Anfield.
The Reds were dominant in a first half where they would have scored at least a couple of goals had they not lacked a finishing touch.
Geronimo Rulli produced a fine save to deny Luis Diaz, with Mane and Mohamed Salah sending the ball just wide before Thiago Alcantara unleashed a thunderous strike to hit the woodwork.
Fabinho had a goal ruled out for offside just after the break, but Pervis Estupinan netted an own goal to put Liverpool ahead in the 53th minute.
It took the Reds just a couple of minutes to double their lead through Mane, who capitalised on a great Mohamed Salah pass to beat Rulli.
Andrew Robertson scored a third, but his goal was overruled for offside. Neither Diaz nor Salah managed to hit the target in the later stages of the second half, while Unai Emery’s side struggled to create in the final third.
Villarreal didn’t create any danger in front of Alisson’s goal, producing just a single shot throughout the game.
Read: Inter Milan suffer title blow as Arnautovic and Sansone seal impressive Bologna win
The return leg of the semi-final tie between the two sides will take place at the Estadio de la Ceramica on Tuesday, May 3.
Key stats
Mané has moved level alongside Didier Drogba (both 14) as the leading African goalscorer in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League.
Fourteen of Mané’s last 20 goals in the competition have come in the knockouts.
Liverpool have never lost at Anfield in the semi-finals of the European Cup, winning ten and drawing two of their 12 matches and conceding only four goals.
Liverpool’s record in UEFA club competition semi-finals at Anfield is W16 D3 L0.
The Reds’ opener against Villarreal was their 250th goal in the UEFA Champions League era, group stage to final. They have also now scored 450 in European Cup history, qualifying included.
Klopp’s side have scored two or more in ten of their 11 UEFA Champions League games this season.Villarreal have won only one of their ten away matches against English clubs in UEFA club competition (D3 L6).
The Yellow Submarine failed to muster a shot on target.
