Liverpool, Tottenham, PSG Survive and Advance in Champions League
Liverpool and Tottenham endured anxious nights, but both made it through to the last 16 of the Champions League on the final matchday of Groups A-D. Mohamed Salah’s goal was enough for Liverpool to beat Napoli 1-0, while a Lucas Moura strike five minutes from time at Barcelona took Tottenham into the knockout phase by matching Inter Milan’s result vs. PSV.
Liverpool had to beat Napoli, either 1-0, or by two or more goals if Napoli scored. It should, in truth, have won more easily but survived a nervy final few minutes to go through as the group’s second-place finisher. Paris Saint-Germain topped the table a comfortable 4-1 win at Red Star Belgrade, pulling away after the hosts had made it a one-goal game in the second half.
Tottenham had to get at least as good as result away to Barcelona as Inter managed at home to PSV, and although it fell behind early to an Ousmane Dembele goal, its hopes were kept alive by Hirving Lozano’s goal for the Dutch champions. Mauro Icardo levelled in that match, but so, eventually, did Lucas in Tottenham’s.
Elsewhere in the matches of less dire consequence, Raphael Guerreiro scored twice as Borussia Dortmund claimed the top spot in Group A with a 2-0 win at Thierry Henry’s Monaco, while Atletico Madrid, the runner-up, drew 0-0 with Club Brugge, held scoreless by U.S. goalkeeper Ethan Horvath.
Only one issue remained to be decided in Group D, where Galatasaray claimed the Europa League slot despite losing 3-2 at home to Porto thanks to Lokomotiv Moscow’s 1-0 defeat away to Schalke. Porto had already secured the top spot in the group and will be joined by Schalke in the last 16.
Here are three thoughts on a tense day across the Champions League:
SALAH THE SAVIOR AGAIN
Salah had largely been kept quiet by Kalidou Koulibaly, and, with Liverpool’s crossing poor, there was a growing sense of frustration about Anfield. That is, until the 34th minute, when Salah rolled off Mario Rui, received a pass from James Milner and, with acceleration room at last, shimmied past Koulibaly before slipping a smart finish through the legs of David Ospina as the goalkeeper anticipated a cross. It was a brilliant, opportunistic strike, his ninth goal in nine Champions League appearances at Anfield and it transformed the complexion of the game. And to think that just a few weeks ago, his form was so indifferent people were beginning to wonder whether last season was a freak.
Yet for all that Liverpool dominated for the hour that remained, Liverpool spurned chance after chance. There were saves, there were blocks, there were poor finishes (especially by Sadio Mane), there were slightly misplaced final balls and Salah hit the outside of the post. The result was that, although Liverpool played with a pace and intensity that recalled its best performances last season, it couldn’t quite finish Napoli off.
One goal would have saved Carlo Ancelotti’s side, and in the final seconds it seemed certain to arrive as a cross evaded everybody to fall at the feet of substitute forward Arkardiusz Milik, some 10 yards out. But Alisson was out quickly to make the block, and Liverpool survived to go through.
Posted by Minority Voice
on Dec 12 2018. Filed under Featured, Sports.
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