Having lost both domestic and European encounters with Wednesday’s opponents in the past few months, Andoni Iraola will be looking for his first-ever European home fixture to produce the typical Anfield fightback. In his maiden Champions League home fixture, the Reds secured a comeback win to secure maximum points after coming back from the dead to beat his current side, Atletico Madrid, by 2 goals to 1. Marcos Llorente got on the end of Julián Álvarez’s short through ball as he timed his run to beat Kelleher as he slotted into the corner to make it 1-0 to the visitors. This was Llorente’s fifth goal in as many visits to Merseyside, and the well-drilled visitors seemed comfortable.
However, Liverpool stayed focused on their task and broke down an organized wall before leveling in the 40th minute. It was slick: Ronald Araujo’s audacious pass inside his own box was tipped back into Dominik Szoboszlai by Dominik Szoboszlai for him to sweep home in one movement past Jan Oblak. It put the Reds well in the ascendancy, who went on to seal the deal and grab the lead in the 51st minute; after a deflected Rio Ngumoha cross was knocked out to the edge of the penalty area by Diego Simeone’s defenders, Alexis Mac Allister struck a vicious left-footed drive into the top corner past Oblak.
Though the Rojiblancos threw many men up for the equalizer at the end, with substitute after substitute on, winning an abundance of corners and taking many shots, their well-organized defence never faltered. The hosts believed they had made it three at the end from Jeremie Frimpong, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Source: Official Liverpool FC Match Report, TNT Sports, and UEFA Champions League Matchday Reports.
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