Sports

UCL: Firmino hands Liverpool flying Champions League start over PSG

Published

6 years ago

September 18, 2018

Roberto Firmino came off the bench to strike deep into stoppage time and hand Liverpool a deserved 3 -2 win over Paris Saint- Germain at Anfield on Tuesday .Last season ’ s finalists showed the French champions have plenty of work to do if they are to mount a challenge for a first -ever Champions League title as they bounced back from blowing a 2 – 0 first -half lead .

Daniel Sturridge and a James Milner penalty put the hosts in command before Thomas Meunier reduced PSG’ s arrears .

Having kept Kylian Mbappe and the world ’ s most expensive player Neymar quiet for almost the entire match , Liverpool seemed set to pay a heavy price for one slack pass by Mohamed Salah as Mbappe swept home seven minutes from time in front of a stunned Kop .

But Firmino , who started on the bench due to an eye injury suffered against Tottenham on Saturday , had the final say as he twisted and turned before firing into the far corner to stretch Liverpool’ s perfect start to the season to six games.

Liverpool ’ s run to the final last season was characterised by fast starts that blew away Spartak Moscow , Manchester City and Roma at Anfield and buoyed by a perfect start to the Premier League season , the hosts put PSG under severe pressure from the off .

Alphonse Areola has kept Gianluigi Buffon on the sidelines during the first few weeks of the 40 – year -old ’ s PSG career and , with the Italian suspended for his red card in Juventus ’ controversial exit to Real Madrid in the quarter – finals last season , started again between the sticks .

The French international was busy early on as he saved from Virgil van Dijk , Milner and Sadio Mane inside the first 10 minutes .

PSG have crumbled on their Champions League travels to Barcelona , Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the past two seasons and their ability to challenge for the competition was again questioned as they struggled to contain Liverpool’ s greater speed and power in midfield.

Up front , Firmino ’ s absence opened the door for Sturridge to make his first Champions League start for the club .

The Englishman has been dogged by injury and lack of form during Klopp’ s nearly three years in charge , but took his chance on the big stage by powering home a pinpoint curling cross from Andy Robertson to open the scoring on the half -hour mark .

Six minutes later , PSG’ s deficit was doubled when Juan Bernat tripped Georginio Wijnaldum inside the area and Milner slammed the resulting penalty into the bottom corner .

However , the visitors were handed a lifeline through right- back Meunier , rather than one of their famed front three , as the Belgian skilfully readjusted to volley home Robertson ’ s miscued clearance .

Klopp was annoyed at his side for having to survive a nervous finale in winning at Tottenham on Saturday after passing up a series of chances to put the game to bed .

And it was looked like this time they would pay as Salah had a goal ruled out for a foul by Sturridge before the latter headed a glorious chance into the arms of Areola .

Salah has struggled to match his stunning 44 -goal form of last season in recent weeks and was substituted by Klopp moments after gifting PSG a route back into the game .

His slack pass was intercepted and quickly fed into Neymar, with Van Dijk ’ s tackle on the Brazilian only rebounding into the path of Mbappe to fire home .

Liverpool instantly went in search of a winner as Trent Alexander- Arnold ’ s deflected free – kick came back off the woodwork , and finally got their reward when Firmino powered home .