JAKARTA - Liverpool won the duel between two European elites against AC Milan with a score of 3-2 in the opening match of Group B of the Champions League at Anfield Stadium, England, Wednesday local time.
Having lost the advantage gained through an own goal by Fikayo Tomori due to two quick goals from Ante Rebic and Brahim Diaz at the end of the first half, Liverpool rose to restore leadership through goals from Mohamed Salah and the captain Jordan Henderson.
As reported by Antara, Liverpool currently tops Group B standings with three points above Atletico Madrid and Porto, who drew in other matches, while Milan are caretaker without points.
This match is the third meeting between the two teams in Europe, where the last time it happened was in the two Champions League finals which Liverpool won in 2005 and Milan hit back two years later.
This ❤️ pic.twitter.com/9022OhZexi
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 15, 2021
A first-half display lived up to the reputations of the two sides who are close to each other in the two Champions League finals, with the hosts in control almost 30 minutes early but Milan able to answer it with a late performance.
Liverpool took a quick lead when Trent Alexander-Arnold slipped past Rafael Leao to dribble through Mohamed Salah. Alexander-Arnold tried to release a pull pass but Tomori's tackle instead sent the ball into the Milan goal giving the hosts the lead in the ninth minute.
Four minutes later Liverpool were awarded a penalty when Andy Robertson's shot recognized Ismael Bennacer's arm, unfortunately Salah's execution was denied by goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
This is the second time Salah has failed to convert a penalty in 19 occasions with Liverpool. He last failed in an English Premier League match against Huddersfield Town in October 2017.
After saving the penalty, Maignan made at least two more fine saves to deny Liverpool a dangerous chance created by Salah's curling shot and Joel Matip's header.
In the 42nd minute things changed when Liverpool's back line failed to anticipate a neat attack from Milan's players and was ended by Leao's cross which Rebic finished perfectly to beat goalkeeper Alisson Becker to level.
Surprised by the goal, the home defense loosened and Theo Hernandez fired a shot that was stopped by Robertson before crossing the line, but Diaz was in pole position to find the ball to give Milan a 2-1 lead over Liverpool just before halftime.
Entering the second half in a state of excellence, Simon Kjaer had time to hit the home goal again when the game was not even a minute old but the linesman raised the offside flag and the goal was immediately disallowed.
Our second half scorers 🙏🤩 pic.twitter.com/mDva30tSLM
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 15, 2021
Two minutes later, Salah paid off for failing to convert a penalty when he completed a one-two with Divock Origi with a shot into the far corner. VAR briefly reviewed the goal before it was confirmed and changed the position to 2-2.
Milan then came under pressure from the hosts who were eager to restore their lead until it came to pass through Henderson's goal in the 69th minute.
Starting from Alexander-Arnold's corner which Bennacer didn't anticipate, Henderson was like possessed by Steven Gerrard and immediately grabbed the ball to score it to bring Liverpool back ahead 3-2.
As they showed in the first half, Milan again tried to find a goal in the final minutes of the second half, but this time their efforts were fruitless and the 3-2 score for Liverpool lasted until the final whistle.
The two play their second match each on September 28, when Milan host Atletico Madrid at the San Siro and Liverpool travel to Dragao against Porto.
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