In the end, it had to be directed at the Champions League captain Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool against Atletico Madrid. Two early strokes by Mohamed Salah had brought the LFC to the front – but then it became scarce. The “Reds” conquered “Atleti” 3: 2 (2: 1) on Wednesday evening – but had to tremble until added time.
Salah’s first prank was a free kick from a half -right position of about 20 meters, which his team -mate Andy Robertson used to lead for the hosts (4th). The second prank of the Egyptian again resulted from an action on the right side, which Salah closed from five meters from a gate distance to 2: 0 (6th). Atleticos Marcos Lllorente was able to score the connection for the Spaniards before the break (45.+3). And when Liverpool did not want to take advantage of his top -class opportunities, Llorente struck a second time (81.). In added time, Virgil van Dijk Liverpool headed to victory (90.+2), Atletico coach Diego Simeone saw red because of protests.
Salah’s double prank paralyzes Atletico
The Arne Slot team started the game against the table elves from the Spanish Primera Division. The clear indication of this was the free kick that Egypt’s superstar Salah came in in the early stages of the game: the variant seemed rehearsed because the attacker was drosing the ball far to the left of the wall of the guests to the storm center, where left -back Robertson was positioned and probably not unacceptably untenable for Jan Oblak in the goal of the Madrilenes.
Also in the second goal, the defense of the team of the Diego Simeone, which was wild as always, seemed wild like a predator on the sidelines. Salah started the foot from the right with the ball, played a precise double pass with wall player Ryan Gravenberch, and penetrated the penalty area. There the 33-year-old shook two opponents and shot flat into the far corner from the five-meter space border.
Atleti needs long relaxation time
Atletico around striker Antoine Griezmann took a long time to recover from the early double strike. Two scores dated the 16th and 17th minute, but where Alisson Becker was not confronted with any problems in the box of the hosts by the Anfield Road.
The English left chances for this – and two ex -Leverkuseners were involved. Because the previously inconspicuous Florian Wirtz played wonderfully into the penalty area with a double pass, curved Oblak, Jeremie Frimpong got the German international slightly and one step too late to put the free ball in the goal. Shortly before, a possible handball from Atleticos Clement Lenglet was checked by the Var and referee Maurizio Mariani on the monitor.
Madrid punishes Liverpools Snake
After Liverpools Alexander Isak had not housed two degrees in the box of the guests, the players of the English league leader in the Premier League seemed to be busy. Because the “Reds” Attletico made it inexplicably passively combined into their own penalty area, did not attack or even attacked and looked at how Marcos llorente poked the ball into the goal for the goal.
After the break, the hosts continued to act dominant – but the clearer actions had Atletico. In combination with storm partner Griezmann, Giacomo Raspadori could not check the ball properly (48th), shortly afterwards the Italian hammered the ball from right along the baseline, where Becker clarified again (52.).
Salah meets the post
The clearer goal area scenes had the Liverpoolers. But on the one hand, Salah met the right post (65th) in a beautifully played counterattack despite the free goal, after which Wirtz got the hard physical game in England when the physically superior llor duck pushed him in the penalty area and thus prevented Wirtz for his new employer (72nd). It was the last action of the most expensive transfer in Bundesliga history, which was adopted by the Liverpool fans with very warm and appreciative applause in the 74th minute.
Atleti creates the equalization
Despite the optical superiority of the home side, Atletico Madrid seemed to be able to achieve the possible compensation during the second half of the game. And according to the old football wisdom, according to which unused top chances like to avenge, Atletico struck again. In the final phase of the game, the Liverpoolers did not get the ball out of their own danger zone. Llorente took a high ball in 18 meters of gate removal, central position, volley and cheeking the ball on the goal. Goal scorer Robertson falsified the violent shot, which sank into the goal of the “Red” as an arc lamp. Becker was beaten for the second time.
Captain van Dijk redeems the “Reds”
After a corner, Alexander Sörloth, who had substituted with the Spaniards, steered the ball after a corner unhappily towards his own goal, but the ball hopped past the left post. Then captain Virgil van Dijk put the end of the Liverpool, which was happy for Liverpool, and the heavily protesting Simeone was expelled from the field.