LIVERPOOL stamped one foot into the Champions League final with a 2-0 win over Villarreal in their semi-final first leg.
A Pervis Estupinan own goal and Sadio Mane’s effort were enough to seal a two-goal lead heading into next week’s second leg.
- RESULT: Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
- Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago, Diaz, Salah, Mane
- Villarreal XI: Rulli, Albiol, Torres, Parejo, Capoue, Foyth, Chukwueze, Estupinan, Danjuma, Lo Celso, Coquelin
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Jurgen pleased with performance
The Liverpool boss outlined how it was important they kept to their game plan today even when Villarreal were frustrating them tonight:
We kept them quiet, which was important because of the type of threat they are. We tried to create, tried to be direct. You show the respect to the opponent by the way you defend them, that is why we won the game. This is not over, we know that.
Jurgen Klopp
Make sure you have FINAL say
Liverpool know all too well how easily Champions League can chew you up and spit you out when you think the job is already done.
Having turned around a 3-0 deficit against Barcelona at Anfield, Klopp will make sure his side do not take anything for granted.
When the game kicks off in Spain, the scores are level and he will be sending his team to win yet another game.
Games come thick and fast
Liverpool travel to Newcastle on the weekend to keep their bid for a quadruple alive in their hunt to chase down Man City.
At one stage, 14 points behind their rivals, with five games left they hope that should City drop points that they capitalise.
Then the trip to Spain to finish the job off against Villarreal.
Villarreal undone by Spanish maestro
The man of the match award goes to Thiago Alcântara.
From the off he was orchestrating things in midfield and pulling the strings for Liverpool, finally helping unpick the visitors defence.
All attention turns to Spain
Both semi-finals will be settled on the shores of Spain.
Liverpool head to the east coast to Estadio de la Ceramica while Man City travel to The Bernabeu in Madrid.
Jurgen Klopp’s side will know the job is only half complete.
Rampant reds march on
They huffed, they puffed and they blew the wall down.
Finally, in the second-half Liverpool managed to knock down the yellow wall that frustrated and denied them for so long.
Potentially, with their two-goal lead, Liverpool may have turned it into a yellow brick road all the way to Paris.
FT: Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
The referee brings the game to a close.
It is half-time in the semi-final but it is advantage Liverpool.
They will travel to Spain with a two-goal lead to defend.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
90+1. Liverpool look to get the ball up towards Origi.
Albiol has been solid at the back for Villarreal and wins it again.
They are looking to get back to Spain with some remnants of the yellow wall still in tact.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
90. The Yellow Submarine has been ready to dock for some time now.
They seem content just keeping the ball from their goal now.
Liverpool look to stretch them one last time.
We will have two additional minutes.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
88. Ball played over the top by the visitors.
Dia hits it on the volley and forces Alisson into his first save.
He was offside anyway so it wouldn’t have counted.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
86. Danjuma is coming off for Alcácer.
Emery hoping they could still steal a goal.
Liverpool looking dominant at the moment.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
84. We are at the stage now where both teams will be thinking about sticking with what they already have.
For Villarreal, 2-0 isn’t the worst result considering the opposition and venue.
Liverpool will want at least one more to make it a pleasing performance.
Liverpool 2-0 Villareal
82. Thiago and Fabinho have been faultless today.
The work they do to break up play and get Liverpool moving in the other direction is heavily underrated.
Alisson may as well be having a cuppa in the club shop at this stage.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
80. Serge Aurier puts in a vital tackle for the visitors.
Joe Gomez is coming on to replace Alexander-Arnold.
Klopp able to rotate his squad such is the depth.
Diaz makes way for Divock Origi.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
78. Diaz goes close for Liverpool.
He beats his man and takes it slightly wide onto his left foot.
Shooting at goal, it goes across the face with no one there to knock it in.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
76. It seems Emery has told his team to get forward more.
The Spanish manager has realised this will only get worse if they sit back and defend for the remainder of the game.
Albiol is down as he is clattered by Jota.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
74. Villarreal haver a rare corner.
It does not beat the first man and is cleared for a throw in.
Professional footballers not able to cross a ball baffles me.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
72. Trigueros and Dia come on for Villarreal.
Keita and Jota for Liverpool.
Both teams looking to freshen things up.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
70. It looks like Jota and Keita are about to join the party.
Mane and Henderson expected to make way for them.
The Yellow Submarine is starting to spring some leaks.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal – Diaz chance!
68. Fabinho makes a brilliant tackle to win the ball back.
He passes the ball to Diaz.
The winger drops the shoulder and looks to bend it in the bottom corner but it deflects off Albiol wide for a corner.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
66. Salah picks the ball up down the left and cuts inside.
He knocks the ball to Mane looking for the return.
Mane tries to backheel it into his path but the Villarreal defence snuff the attack out.
Liverpool 0-0 Villarreal
64. Alexander-Arnold swings a ball into the box.
He finds Robertson perfectly who knocks the ball into the net.
Flag is up, he was clearly offside.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
62. Villarreal try a rare attack.
Liverpool break play down and counter attack.
Robertson is passed Lo Celso so the player hauls him to the ground.
Lo Celso is shown a yellow card.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
60. This is attack versus defence stuff now.
The visitors cannot get out of their own half.
Salah goes to ground, referee not interested at all.
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
58. The Anfield crowd are in full voice now.
Liverpool keep pressing forward looking for more.
The yellow wall is starting to show some cracks.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
