Liverpool: Liverpool closed in on a Champions League semifinal spot after sweeping aside Porto 2-0 in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie at Anfield.
Far from the late drama that has accompanied the Red’s Premier League title bid of late, Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino struck inside the first 26 minutes to put the hosts in command.
“2-0 is a really good result, I would have taken it before the game and I take it now,” said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after the game. “It was a good game, a controlled one. We deserved the win 100 per cent and scored two wonderful goals.”
Liverpool’s only regret may be not building a more emphatic lead to take to Portugal for next week’s second leg.
However, a fourth clean sheet in five home Champions League games this season for Liverpool means an away goal at the Estadio do Dragao, April 17th will leave Porto needing four to progress.
Liverpool had thrashed the Portuguese giants 5-0 in the first leg of their last-16 tie last season and the scoreline could have been just as embarrassing for Sergio Conceicao’s men had the hosts been more accurate in front of goal.
It took the hosts just five minutes to open the scoring as Keita got his second goal in as many games having waited nine months to open his Liverpool account.
The Guinean got the benefit of a big deflection off Oliver Torres as his strike from the edge of the area left veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas helpless. It could have 2-0 in the next five minutes had Mohamed Salah not shot wide.
Conceicao was visibly furious with his side’s slack defending, but Porto could easily have got back into the tie when Alisson Becker saved well with his feet from Moussa Marega.
Liverpool then had to survive a VAR review for a potential handball against Trent Alexander-Arnold as Alisson palmed the ball into his full-back.
Soon, though, Alexander-Arnold was helping twist the knife into Porto at the other end with his eighth assist of the season.
Jordan Henderson, playing in a more advanced midfield position than normal, cut the visitors’ defence open for the England international to square for Firmino to tap into an empty net.
AFP