A step above, Liverpool takes a big option before the return match. Too strong but also too managerial, the Reds logically took over Benfica in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, in the Luz stadium. The addition could even have been more full-bodied without a big night Odysseas Vlachodimos, who still had to bow to Ibrahima Konaté (17th), Sadio Mané (34th) and Luis Diaz (87th).
Drafts in attack and overwhelmed by the multiple calls in transition from the opposing offensives, the Lisbon people lacked accuracy in their movements, despite a second successful act in line with the reduction of the score of Darwin Nunez (49th). Aligned for the first time since the World Cup play-offs, the Mané-Salah duo feasted before slipping away.
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The cathedral of La Luz has smelled the perfume of great evenings and on occasion put on its most beautiful costume of light for the Eagles, welcomed under a melodious roar, the kind that will give you goosebumps. Not intimidated by the challenge, the locals immediately returned to their game. First ten minutes of good quality quickly swept away by the awakening of the Scousers, first dangerous on a double opportunity from Naby Keita and Trent Alexander-Arnold (12th), then lethal on a super-powerful header from Frenchy Ibrahima Konaté (17th), author of his first goal in his new colors.
Ibrahima Konaté’s joy against Benfica
Credit: Getty Images
Aligned together for the first time since the international break, the star duo of Liverpool ensured in the first half. Activity and a lack of realism for Mohamed Salah (9th, 45th), a fox goal for Sadio Mané (34th), finisher on a perfect service from the head of Luis Diaz, preferred to Diogo Jota at kick-off . After a first act of fire, the Reds knocked out a less talkative Luz stadium, which was just waiting for the fuse to ignite again. Arsonist despite himself, Konaté revived the Lisbon after a failed clearance on a low cross from Rafa Silva perfectly concluded by Darwin Nunez on the return from the locker room (49th).
If the reduction in the score of the Uruguayan was born of a combination of circumstances, the response of the Eagles on the ground had pace and matter. Jostled, the Scousers multiplied the technical faults, in the wake of an attack suddenly voiceless and moribund. A few seconds after a huge opportunity from Everton, who nevertheless had Nunez alone on his right (60th), Jürgen Klopp chose to release his two aesthetes, replaced by Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino. Early changes that reflect the thinking of the German technician, his mind already riveted to the clash of the weekend against Manchester City.
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Suddenly perked up, Benfica created a number of interesting situations, without taking advantage of them. A contentious action will certainly trot for a long time in Lisbon’s skulls, chafouines to see the pout of the Spanish referee in front of the gesture of the arm of Virgil van Dijk, deposited on a hook from Nunez in the surface (67th). The time was already over for remorse, as the last quarter of an hour approached, all at a very poor pace, the fault of the calculating Reds for their efforts.
Apart from a daring control from Alisson in front of Rafa Silva, the end of the match leaned in favor of the visitors, finally very happy to see Diaz take speed from the local rearguard, surprised by the superb vertical pass from Naby Keita ( 87th). Despite a fatal shock to Fabinho in added time, Liverpool can be happy to leave Lisbon with a two-goal advantage, given the intensity of the second half. The Reds have rotated and can already glimpse the course of the semi-finals. All that remains is to finish the job at Anfield next Wednesday.
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