Liverpool 3-3 Benfica (agg: 6-4): Jurgen Klopp's side set up Villarreal semi-final

2 years ago 28

ARTICLE AD BOX

Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate celebrates scoring against Benfica in the Champions League at Anfield

Liverpool remain on course for an historic quadruple after a thrilling draw with Benfica secured a two-legged Champions League semi-final against Villarreal.

Having established a 3-1 lead in Lisbon, Liverpool extended their advantage with Ibrahima Konate's powerful 21st-minute header from a Kostas Tsimikas corner.

Benfica equalised through Goncalo Ramos' excellent turn and finish, before Roberto Firmino's two second-half goals - a tap-in followed by a volley - in front of the Kop looked to have put the Reds in control.

But after Roman Yaremchuk broke through to beat Alisson and make it 3-2 on the night, Darwin Nunez scored a late equaliser.

Nunez was then denied by Alisson as Benfica finished strongly but Liverpool held out to advance 6-4 on aggregate.

They now host Villarreal - the club they beat in the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2016 - on 27 April before travelling to Spain for the second leg on 4 May.

Reds still in quadruple hunt

The games are coming thick and fast for Liverpool at the business end of the campaign, with a huge FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City up next on Saturday - the second meeting between the Premier League's top two in a week.

They head for Wembley knowing they are one round away from a third Champions League final in five seasons under Jurgen Klopp.

The Liverpool boss made seven changes to the side that started the first leg in Portugal last week, with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane among those on the bench.

There was a return for James Milner who, at the age of 36, became the oldest Englishman to start a Champions League match since 37-year-old David Beckham did so for Paris St-Germain in 2012-13.

The Reds were made to work hard for their place in the semi-finals as Benfica came out fighting but the damage was done in the first leg.

After Saturday, Liverpool - who trail leaders Manchester City by a single point - have a chance to return to the top of the Premier League, for 24 hours at least, when they host Manchester United in the Premier League the following Tuesday.

It will require a monumental effort for Liverpool, who won the Carabao Cup in February, to finish the season with four trophies and they will certainly have to defend better than they did in this game.

But with just a few weeks of the season left, they remain in the hunt for what would be an incredible feat.

How to play

Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.

Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection

Liverpool

Squad number1Player nameAlisson
Squad number12Player nameGomez
Squad number32Player nameMatip
Squad number5Player nameKonaté
Squad number21Player nameTsimikas
Squad number8Player nameKeïta
Squad number14Player nameHenderson
Squad number7Player nameMilner
Squad number23Player nameDíaz
Squad number9Player nameRoberto Firmino
Squad number20Player nameDiogo Jota

Squad number3Player nameFabinho
Squad number6Player nameThiago Alcántara
Squad number10Player nameMané
Squad number11Player nameMohamed Salah
Squad number27Player nameOrigi

Benfica

Squad number99Player nameVlachodimos
Squad number2Player nameGilberto
Squad number30Player nameOtamendi
Squad number5Player nameVertonghen
Squad number3Player nameGrimaldo
Squad number49Player nameTaarabt
Squad number28Player nameWeigl
Squad number7Player nameÉverton
Squad number88Player nameGonçalo Ramos
Squad number17Player nameDiogo Gonçalves
Squad number9Player nameNúñez

Squad number15Player nameYaremchuk
Squad number20Player nameJoão Mário
Squad number31Player nameGil Dias
Squad number34Player nameAndré Almeida
Squad number55Player namePaulo Bernardo

Line-ups

Liverpool

Formation 4-3-3

1Alisson
12Gomez
32Matip
5Konaté
21Tsimikas
8Keïta
14HendersonSubstituted forFabinhoat 58'minutes
7MilnerSubstituted forThiago Alcántaraat 58'minutes
23DíazSubstituted forManéat 66'minutes
9FirminoSubstituted forOrigiat 90+1'minutes
20JotaSubstituted forSalahat 57'minutes

Substitutes

3Fabinho
4van Dijk
6Thiago Alcántara
10Mané
11Salah
15Oxlade-Chamberlain
17Jones
26Robertson
27Origi
62Kelleher
66Alexander-Arnold
67Elliott

Benfica

Formation 4-2-3-1

99Vlachodimos
2JuniorSubstituted forBastião Diasat 90+1'minutes
30Otamendi
5Vertonghen
3Grimaldo
49TaarabtSubstituted forJoão Márioat 66'minutes
28Weigl
7Sousa SoaresSubstituted forMagalhães de Almeidaat 90+1'minutes
88Matias RamosSubstituted forGoncalves Bernardoat 78'minutes
17Cupido GoncalvesSubstituted forYaremchukat 45'minutes
9Núñez

Substitutes

11Meité
14Seferovic
15Yaremchuk
20João Mário
22Lazaro
23Radonjic
31Bastião Dias
34Magalhães de Almeida
55Goncalves Bernardo
77Aleixo Leite
89Costa Álvaro
91Rodrigues da Silva

Live Text

Match ends, Liverpool 3, Benfica 3.
Second Half ends, Liverpool 3, Benfica 3.
Offside, Benfica. Alejandro Grimaldo tries a through ball, but Darwin Núñez is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Konstantinos Tsimikas with a cross.
Divock Origi (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica).
Substitution, Benfica. André Almeida replaces Éverton.
Substitution, Liverpool. Divock Origi replaces Roberto Firmino.
Substitution, Benfica. Gil Dias replaces Gilberto.
Offside, Liverpool. Mohamed Salah tries a through ball, but Sadio Mané is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Thiago (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a corner.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Jan Vertonghen.
Attempt blocked. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sadio Mané.
Attempt saved. Darwin Núñez (Benfica) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Paulo Bernardo with a cross.
VAR Decision: Goal Liverpool 3-3 Benfica (João Mário).
Goal! Liverpool 3, Benfica 3. Darwin Núñez (Benfica) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by João Mário.
Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Substitution, Benfica. Paulo Bernardo replaces Gonçalo Ramos.
Konstantinos Tsimikas (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by João Mário (Benfica).