Liverpool have taken a big step towards the Champions League final. In the first meeting with Villarreal in the semi-finals, Jürgen Klopp’s team was 2-0 too strong on Wednesday evening. An own goal from Pervis Estupiñán and a goal from Sadio Mane, within minutes of each other in the opening stages of the second half, gave Liverpool a good starting position.
Virgil van Dijk and Arnaut Danjuma had a starting spot at Anfield; Gerard Moreno is struggling with a muscle injury, which made Giovani Lo Celso the attacking partner of Danjuma. As might be expected, Villarreal’s vanguard was infrequent in the play. Liverpool were most emphatically looking for a goal. Really big opportunities were rare. Mane could have headed Liverpool ahead in the twelfth minute, but couldn’t get his head right against a sharp cross from Mohamed Salah.
Just before that, Salah headed over the goal on a pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold. A placed bet by Luis Díaz turned out to be a prey for keeper Gerónimo Rulli. After a cross pass from Thiago Alcántara, Jordan Henderson took the ball out of the air at the side of the penalty area with the intention of sending a cross, but it hit the outside of the post. Salah shot far over in minute 27; Díaz then hit the goalkeeper from outside the penalty area. Villarreal thus remained upright without too many problems,
Villarreal himself mainly focused on the counterattack. A counterattack resulted in a foul by Van Dijk on Samuel Chukwueze, for which the Dutchman received a yellow card. Three minutes before half time, Liverpool came very close to an opening goal: a long shot from Thiago shattered the crossbar. At the start of the second half, a goal by Fabinho was rejected because Van Dijk was offside in the run-up.
NOW IT IS! Jordan Henderson’s cross is reversed and falls in: 1-0! But it gets even better for Liverpool… #UCL #LIVVIL pic.twitter.com/kYMxAOgXjr
— VTBL ? (@vtbl) Apr 27, 2022
Ingredients 2-0 Liverpool: – Clove Salah – Clove Mané #UCL #LIVVIL pic.twitter.com/yTPkkrrZfF
— VTBL ? (@vtbl) Apr 27, 2022
Shortly afterwards it was still hit: from the right flank Henderson sent a cross, which was changed direction by Estupiñán. Because of that touch goalkeeper Rulli had no chance and the ball flew into the top corner. Mane made it 2-0 two minutes later by putting the ball with the tip of the shoe into the right corner as he was reached in the penalty area by Salah. Robertson appeared to make the 3-0, but his goal was also canceled due to offside. Villarreal didn’t get any serious chances on the 2-1 and next week a hell of a job in front of its own audience.