Liverpool produced a thrilling display at Anfield to sweep past Galatasaray and book a Champions League quarter-final meeting with holders Paris St-Germain.
Arne Slot’s side came into the second leg under pressure after losing 1-0 in Istanbul, but they responded in emphatic fashion, overturning the deficit with a 4-0 win that underlined both their attacking power and growing belief under their new manager.
The comeback began with a smartly worked set-piece that ended with Dominik Szoboszlai finding the net, bringing Liverpool level on aggregate and lifting the mood inside Anfield. From that point, the home side played with increasing confidence, pushing Galatasaray back and creating chance after chance.
There was a brief setback just before the break when Mohamed Salah saw his penalty saved by Ugurcan Cakir. Even then, Liverpool remained in control, and the miss only delayed what became a dominant second-half surge.
The decisive spell came after the restart, when Liverpool scored three times in 11 minutes to end the contest. Hugo Ekitike made it 2-0 on the night, turning in from close range after an excellent pass from Salah. Soon after, Ryan Gravenberch reacted quickest when Salah’s effort was kept out by Cakir, finishing to put Liverpool firmly in command.
Galatasaray’s night then went from bad to worse. Wilfried Singo put the ball into his own net from a Jeremie Frimpong cross, only for the goal to be ruled out because Frimpong had drifted offside. But Liverpool were not to be denied for long. Minutes later, Salah provided the standout moment of the match with a superb strike from outside the box, curling the ball into the top corner in trademark fashion.
That goal carried extra weight, as it made Salah the first African player to score 50 goals in the Champions League.
Liverpool could have added even more. Salah struck the bar, while Cakir made several important saves to stop the scoreline becoming even more severe. Galatasaray offered little in response and had no away support inside the stadium after a UEFA sanction following crowd trouble during their previous away trip to Juventus.
The victory sends Liverpool into the last eight alongside Arsenal, while Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham have all exited the competition. For Slot, it marks a first Champions League quarter-final and offers an immediate chance for revenge against Luis Enrique’s Paris St-Germain, the side that ended Liverpool’s campaign last season.
Tottenham Hotspur produced a spirited performance but were ultimately eliminated from the Champions League after… Read More
The D.C. Combat Sports Commission has warned that fighters scheduled to compete on the UFC’s… Read More
Concern is mounting at Real Madrid following an injury scare involving star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois… Read More
Bayern Munich's sensational young talent Lennart Karl is poised to receive his first senior call-up… Read More
Newcastle produced a contrasting half at the Camp Nou as they were spanked 7-2 by… Read More
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ push for a strong playoff position in the Western Conference has taken… Read More