PORTO, Portugal (AFP) - Liverpool set up a mouthwatering Champions League semi-final against Barcelona on Wednesday (April 17) after their superstar front three all scored in a 4-1 win away at FC Porto that saw them cruise into the last four 6-1 on aggregate.
On a wet night at the Estadio do Dragao, Liverpool had to weather an early storm before scoring from their first attempt just before the half-hour mark, Sadio Mane prodding home for a goal given after a lengthy VAR review.
Already in control of the tie after a 2-0 win at Anfield in the first leg last week, Liverpool had effectively killed off Porto there and then, but Mohamed Salah, substitute Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk added further goals after the break.
Eder Militao scored a consolation for the hosts 21 minutes before the end, but this was another miserable night for them after they lost 5-0 to the same opponents on this ground a year ago.
Liverpool now march on to a clash with Lionel Messi's Barca, the first meeting of the clubs since a last-16 encounter in 2006/07 that Liverpool won on away goals.
The dream of a Champions League and Premier League double remains alive for Liverpool and their supporters, whose spirits were not dampened by the dreary weather by the banks of the River Douro.
This was their 17th game without defeat and their eighth straight victory, although Barcelona will offer a far tougher test than that provided by Porto.
Â
The first leg of that tie is in a fortnight, and in the meantime Liverpool will revert their focus to domestic matters, with games against Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town up next.
With the matches coming thick and fast, Klopp made three changes to his team here following Sunday's 2-0 win over Chelsea. Firmino and Naby Keita, who both scored in the first leg, dropped out along with Jordan Henderson.
They were replaced by Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner and Divock Origi, with the latter making his first Champions League start for the club. However, the Belgian only played the first half before making way for Firmino.
EARLY ONSLAUGHT
Indeed, he had hardly touched the ball during a Porto onslaught in the opening stages, sparked by a Jesus Corona shot just over the bar in the first minute.
They had 13 attempts on goal in the first 25 minutes, but would regret not scoring while on top.
When the away side finally made it into the box at the other end, Salah - his every touch jeered by the Porto support who felt he should have been sent off in the first leg - rolled the ball into the six-yard area for Mane to get his 22nd goal of the campaign.
While the offside flag came up, the longer Dutch referee Danny Makkelie spent conferring with his video assistants the more obvious it became that the goal would stand.
Porto knew their chance was gone, with their fans cursing Mane again - he had scored a hat-trick in Liverpool's big win here in the last-16 tie last season.
The match opened up after the interval, with Trent Alexander-Arnold releasing Salah to run through and beat Iker Casillas on 65 minutes.
Porto got their consolation shortly after when Militao - who will join Real Madrid next season - rose to head in from an Alex Telles corner, finally giving their support something to cheer.
They will be glad to see the back of Liverpool, however.
Mane missed the target after rounding Casillas, but Henderson set up fellow substitute Firmino to head in the visitors' third on 77 minutes and Van Dijk nodded in from a corner to round out the scoring.
Barcelona: Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has been ruled out of playing in the China Cup with Uruguay after spraining his ankle for his club at the weekend. Suarez, 32, is expected to miss between 10 and 15 days after limping off late in Sunday's 4-1 win at Real Betis in La Liga.
Injured Suarez to miss Uruguay's China Cup campaign - myKhel
A Spanish court on Wednesday acquitted former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell, who spent nearly two years in pre-trial custody, of money laundering. Rosell, his wife and four others, were accused of "large-scale money laundering" of close to 20 million euros ($23 million) since 2006, relating to television rights and sponsorship deals in Brazil.
Football: Spain court acquits former Barcelona club president
Football News: Jurgen Klopp laughed off suggestions he is an unlucky manager as he looks to halt an unfortunate run of ending up on the losing side in his last six f 'World record holder at
'World record holder at winning semi-finals' - Klopp laughs
Spurs get the chance to bounce back against Cardiff on New Year's Day and Winks insists the squad are determined to put the Wolves result right. "We said before the game that it was must-win so to come away with a defeat is a down dressing room - everyone is fuming but it is football," Winks added.
Harry Winks shrugs off 'Spursy' slight following shock defeat
AC Milan's lethargy and lack of any kind of end product in front of goal continued even after Christmas as they could only manage a 0-0 draw against relegation-threatened Frosinone. Their lack of goals and the fact that even the chances have now dried up for the Diavolo is now a source of real
AC Milan stumble to goalless draw at Frosinone | 4search.com
Stealth: The one area where no version of the Super Hornet can compete with the F-35 is stealth. Stealth more or less has to be baked into an airframe design right from the outset—no ifs or buts.
The Charlotte Hornets are quietly 5th in the East without MKG
Crystal Palace 1-3 Manchester United: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praises Romelu Lukaku impact. Forward Alexis Sanchez failed to impress in another lacklustre showing, but striker Lukaku scored two well
Lukaku inspires Man United to 3-1 win at Palace - Reuters
Antonio Conte named as new Inter Milan manager After the dismissal of Luciano Spalletti, Inter Milan have appointed the ex-Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte as their new manager who finished 21 points behind champions Juventus in 2018/19.
Antonio Conte: Ex-Chelsea manager set to take charge at Inter
Southampton secured their Premier League status for another year after a thrilling 3-3 home draw with Bournemouth on Saturday as Cardiff City slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Fulham. The draw put
Southampton stay up after thrilling 3 3 draw with Bournemouth
Reds must play own game: Klopp - straitstimes.com
Football: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gives stars 'licence to
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes critics have been too quick to write off his side's chances of defending the Premier League crown, and he expects more twists and turns in the title
Guardiola expects twists in title race, Football News & Top
0 comments:
Post a Comment