Football news - Outrageous Mohamed Salah goal helps Liverpool top Group E
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Updated 10/12/2019 at 20:22 GMT
Champions League Group E, Red Bull Arena – Red Bull Salzburg 0 Liverpool 2 (Keita 57, Salah 58)
ucl last match
Image credit: Getty Images
Two lovely goals, one from Naby Keita and one from Mohamed Salah - both heavily aided by Salzburg goalkeeper Cican Stankovic - took Liverpool into the last 16 as winners of Group E. Salzburg, who did not disgrace themselves, drop into the Europa League.
Both teams missed excellent chances in an entertaining first half, Salah the main culprit for Liverpool and Erling Brut Haaland, Hwang Hee-chan and Takumi Minamino failing Salzburg. And, with Napoli 3-0 up against Genk at half-time, a nervous second period looked a strong possibility for the holders.
But then, on 57 minutes, Trent Alexander-Arnold set an attack in motion, and when Andy Robertson found Mane - formerly of Salzburg - Stankovic rushed out unnecessarily, over came the cross, and Keita - formerly of Salzburg - headed home.
Roughly a hundred seconds later, the game and the group were over. Salah, sent away down the left, suddenly saw Stankovic rushing out unnecessarily. He went past him easily and then, from a ridiculously acute angle, outswung a gorgeous finish just past the near post and just inside the far post.
So the holders progress - though if they plan on retaining their title they will have to play better than this - while Salzburg, assuming they can keep their team together, will be a proper threat in the Europa.
TALKING POINT
Will things stop going for Liverpool? There are two ways to look at Liverpool so far this season: either they're so full of confidence they know they will win every game, or they've sneaked a succession of marginal games and that cannot sustain through a season. To not win the league from here would take a monumental collapse, but Liverpool need to tighten up at the back before the knockout stages begin.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool): Missed a fair few chances, but Salzburg never got to grips with him and he eventually punished them with a lovely goal.
PLAYER RATINGS
Salzburg: Stankovic 3, Kristensen 6, Onguene 5, Wober 6, Ulmer 6, Junuzovic 6, Mwepu 6, Minamino 7, Szoboszlai 5, Hwang 6, Haaland 5. Subs: Daka 6, Ashimeru 6, Okugawa 6.
Liverpool: Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 6, Lovren 6, Van Dijk 6, Robertson 6, Henderson 6, Wijnaldum 6, Keita 6, Salah 7, Firmino 5, Mane 7. Gomez 6, Milner 6, Origi 6.
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Liverpool's team celebrates after scoring during the UEFA Champions League Group E football match between RB Salzburg and Liverpool FC on December 10, 2019 in Salzburg, Austria. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP) (Photo by JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images)
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY MOMENTS
7’ - LOVELY FROM SALZBURG! Hwang finds space when he picks up a Haaland pass and scythes into the box, finding Minamino outside him, collecting the backheeled return and sending Henderson out for a box of crayons when he feints outside and cuts inside! But Allison is paying attention, rushing out as he's in the process to smother the eventuating shot.
24’ - SAVE! Lovely from Minamino, who look a player, and outside him, Haaland has made a good run, adjusting his feet beautifully to take the pass into stride. But Alisson has his angles right and smothers the low shot.
29’ - WHAT A CHANCE! Keita collects possession on the edge of the Salzburg box, turns, and slides in Salah! He's got plenty of time too, adjusting to shoot with his left foot, but instead of going across goal he looks to sweep inside the near post and, with far less margin for error, hits his shot wide.
50’ - ACH! Firmino slides Salah through, he takes it around the keeper ... except his touch isn't strong enough and the keeper manages to poke the ball away from him! Then Salzburg counter, Minmino sticks a pass into Haaland, and his first touch is lovely, a chest that sets him for a shot. But he takes another which moves him away from goal, so he has to swivel into a shot that whooshes wide of the near post. How is this still 0-0?
57’ - GOAL! Salzburg 0-1 Liverpool (Keita). This is a lovely goal. Alexander-Arnold pings a lush ball out to Robertson, who chests down and slides Mane in inside him. He nips past Mwepu, who totally sells himself, and then Stankovic does likewise, rushing out to meet him without a prayer of getting the ball! So Mane clips a cross at Keita, who heads home with ease.
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Naby Keita of Liverpool scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League group E match between RB Salzburg and Liverpool FC at Red Bull Arena on December 10, 2019 in Salzburg, Austria
Image credit: Getty Images
59’ - GOAL! Salzburg 0-2 Liverpool (Salah). What a finish this is! Henderson lofts forward for Salah, who streaks away down the right and what is that keeper doing?! Again he races out, Salah speed-waddles by him, and from a ludicrously acute angle, he snaps a right-footer which looks like it's going to hit the near post, then curls out and away from it, nestling in the far side-netting! Game over! Group over!
KEY STATS
- Before Jurgen Klopp arrived, Liverpool had failed to make it out of the Champions League group stages for two seasons. Under Klopp, they have done so three seasons in a row.
- Mohamed Salah has been involved in 27 Champions League goals at Liverpool, scoring 19 and assisting eight. Only Lionel Messi, with 28, has more.
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