Salah strikes as Liverpool bundle out Man City to reach Champions League semis

By Daily Sports on April 11, 2018

Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino were familiar heroes as Liverpool reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in a decade with a 2-1 second-leg win at Manchester City that sealed a 5-1 aggregate victory.

Gabriel Jesus had stirred hopes of an improbable comeback when he struck inside two minutes but a dominant first-half display in which Bernardo Silva hit the post and Leroy Sane saw a goal wrongly disallowed failed to yield further reward.

Jurgen Klopp's side, who stunned the Premier League champions-elect with a 3-0 win at a frenzied Anfield, knew an away goal would make City's task tougher still, and after Salah delivered the demoralising punch (56), Firmino added further insult (77) as the hosts ran out of steam.

While City's wait for Champions League success continues, Pep Guardiola sent to the stands for his Sane protests, six-time winners Liverpool can dream of writing a further chapter in their storied European history.

Klopp had warned of a brewing City "thunderstorm" after their Manchester derby defeat made them wait for the league title and the perfect start to the perfect game Guardiola called for came when Fernandinho slid through a ball that Raheem Sterling squared for Jesus.

A fluid City side, supreme in midfield, played keep-ball as Liverpool flustered and Jesus went close following another Sterling dart, before Leroy Sane's looping cross forced Loris Karius to flap away.

James Milner made a crucial block when Karius could only parry into Bernardo Silva's path as the game's one-sided pattern continued, and after crafting space to curl just wide of the far post, Silva went even closer when he cracked the goalframe.

The slender scoreline belied City's dominance but they were denied what seemed a legitimate second three minutes before half-time when Sane bundled in from close range, Milner's intervention when Karius punched clear rendering the German onside.

Liverpool's first effort on goal had come just moments before the break, an off-balance Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain skewing behind, but Klopp's men needed to take only one chance to snuff out City's flickering hopes and Salah struck his 39th of the season when it mattered.

Sadio Mane powered his way into the and when he fell under the challenge of Ederson, Salah kept his cool to clip into an empty net.

Guardiola threw on Sergio Aguero in search of attacking inspiration but Liverpool wrapped up the tie 13 minutes from time as Firmino pounced on an Nicolas Otamedi mistake and slid the ball calmly past Ederson.

City's intensity dipped, the tie long gone, and as Guardiola watched on high with head in hands, the travelling celebrations were in full swing.(Sky Sports)

Photo shows Liverpool players celebrating

Source Daily Sports

Posted April 11, 2018


 

You may also like...
Majoroh assures of hitch free 2022 GCU Relays...

PSG shocked at Barca’s legal action against Neymar...

FIBA Women’s W/Cup: D’Tigress Record First Win; Beat...

Rafa Benitez Leaves Position At China’s Dalian Pro,...

Plumptre celebrates return from injury

Wenger issues Diego Costa warning ahead of Arsenal...

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,308 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,949 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,905 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,744 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,312 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,932 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media