Champions League Quarter Final: Liverpool Make Home Advantage Pay And Keep A Clean Sheet: Match Highlights. Manager Comments. Player Ratings and Stats.
By: Marc Gingell
In three recent Champions League game against Liverpool, two in the last 16 last season, FC Porto have failed to score and that’s a good reason for Liverpool to be confident when they visit the Estádio do Dragão stadium next week for their Champions League Quarter Final second leg. But FC Porto had chances at Anfield and should have scored.
| 9/4/2019 | Anfield | Liverpool | 2-0 | FC Porto |
| KO: 20:00 | ATT: 52,465 | Naby Keita 5′ | ||
| REF: A Mateu Lahoz | Roberto Firmino 26′ | |||
Naby Keita First Liverpool Champions League Goal
On four minutes, James Milner in at left-back for the suspended Andy Robertson broke up FC Porto play and found Sadio Mané down Liverpool’s left. Mané fed Roberto Firmino in the box who laid the ball back to Naby Keita on the edge of the box. Keita’s shot took a big deflection of Oliver Torres which gave former Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas no chance.
Mo Salah Great Chance
On 21 minutes Mo Salah had a great chance to double the lead when he intercepted a loose pass and sprinted towards goal from 30 yards. Inside the box, Casillas kept his nerve and forced Salah to shoot just wide.
But it didn’t take long for Liverpool to find the net again. Firmino cut in from the left and found Jordan Henderson halfway inside the FC Porto half. He fed a perfect slide-rule pass inside the full-back to Trent Alexander-Arnold who crossed low from the right where Firmino, who hadn’t stopped running since his original to Henderson, tapped in from five yards. VAR came into play but the goal stood as Firmino came in from behind the ball.
FC Porto Penalty Appeal
On 29 minutes Moussa Marega had a fine chance to pull one back for the visitors when he found space on the left. Alisson got down well with his feet to save. This resulted in a bit of a scramble in Liverpool’s box which Alisson dealt with by putting the ball behind for a corner. But in doing so the ball touched Alexander-Arnold’ arm and FC Porto players appealed for a penalty. VAR had a look and ruled against FC Porto.
Marega Big Chance
Marega had another big opportunity on 33 minutes when he found himself with time and space just outside Liverpool’s six-yard box. This time he miss-hit his shot straight at Alisson.
Chances At Both Ends
The game remained 2-0 but there were chances at both ends to suggest the second leg could be full of goals. Firmino missed with his left foot after a good Liverpool move down the right. Mané had a goal chalked off for offside. Allison and Virgil van Dijk had another Fulham moment which they just about got away with. Salah might have done better when he broke into the box again but had his shot blocked and Marega had three more opportunities for FC Porto as he continued to find space.
Player Ratings
Liverpool: Alisson (7), Alexander-Arnold (7), Lovren (6), Van Dijk (8), Milner (6), Fabinho (8), Henderson (7), Keita (8), Firmino (8), Salah (7), Mane (6)
Subs: Origi (6), Sturridge (N/A)
Porto: Casillas (6), Maxi (6), Felipe (6), Militão (6), Alex Telles (6), Corona (7), Danilo (6), Óliver (6), Otávio (7), Marega (7), Soares (6)
Subs: Brahimi (6), Costa (6)
Man of the match: Roberto Firmino
Opta Stats
- Liverpool extended their unbeaten home run across all European competitions to 21 games (W15 D6); the Reds have kept 12 clean sheets in this run, conceding just 15 goals.
- Porto have never won away at an English club in 20 attempts in all European competitions (D3 L17), the most a club has played away at English opposition without ever earning a win.
- This was Klopp’s 400th win as a manager in all club competitions, 111 of which have been with Liverpool (180 with Borussia Dortmund, 109 with 1. FSV Mainz 05).
- Since his Champions League debut in September 2017, Liverpool’s Alisson has kept more clean sheets (9) than any other goalkeeper in the competition; all nine have come in home matches (5 at the Olimpico with Roma, 4 at Anfield with Liverpool).
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