With patience, application and clear talent, but also a little help from luck, Liverpool took a good option in the semi-final first leg of the Champions League by forcing the lock of Villarreal (2-0), Wednesday at Anfield.
For soccer fans who are still in the cloud nine after Manchester City’s incredible 4-3 draw against Real Madrid in another semi-final on Tuesday, this game is an intense test of reality.
Tactically, the spider’s web that Unaï Emery put up with his favorite 4-4-2 was certainly interesting to study and his team tried, somewhat like against Bayern, to start well again with passing sequence long enough to pass the time.
But that barely allowed him to cross the half line in the first 70 minutes, so the pressure from the Reds from the first moments of the game was relentless.
The offensive aspect sacrificed for the purpose, it remained largely to hold the defensive by controlling the red waves that pounded the Spanish defense.
By thickening the axis of the field, Villarreal tried to push Liverpool as fast as possible outside to corner them on the touchline, relying on their control towers, Pau Torres and Raul.
In the first half, Liverpool tried 12 shots, a record for a C1 semi-final first half, without finding the back of the net.
Sadio Mané, with a header (12th) and a deflected shot at the entrance to the area (33rd) that was not targeted, Luis Diaz with two long shots that Rulli blocked in two stages (th 14) was then boxed (31st), and Mohamed Salah with two overtakes too removed (27th, 35th) showed that the goal was within reach.
But, as it seems written this battle is certainly not allotted to handsomeit was on a cross from Jordan Henderson deflected by left side Pervis Estupinan, lobbing goalkeeper Rulli, who came to the release (1-0, 53rd).
Two minutes later, Liverpool had good taste to add a better developed goal, with a superb millimeter opening from Salah extended from point to goal by Mané (2-0, 55th) .
It clearly forced the club from the Valencia region to try more, but the difference in level between a title candidate in England and 7th in La Liga, who entered C1 by winning the Europa League last year, then jumped.
Jürgen Klopp even took advantage of the end of the match to rest Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diaz, Mané and Henderson before the trip to Newcastle on Saturday.
The third goal will make it possible to imagine a return, in six days, with more silence, but it’s hard to see how, even with its public contribution to the Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal will be able to go about the collapse of Liverpool are sure of its strength.
Source: Radio-Canada
