Champions League Semi-Final – Liverpool beat Villarreal Highlights: Liverpool overcame a spirited Villarreal performance to book their spot in the Champions League final with a 3-2 away win, netting three second-half goals after seeing their first-leg lead wiped out in Spain. Follow InsideSport.IN for the latest sports news and updates
Champions League Semi-Final: Liverpool beat 10-men Villarreal in stunning 2nd half COMEBACK to reach Champions League FINAL: Liverpool beat Villarreal 5-2 Agg to continue QUADRUPLE charge, Watch HIGHLIGHTS
Sadio Mane raced clear to round Rulli and roll home a late third to make the result safe before Etienne Capoue was sent off late on, keeping the Reds on course to cap an incredible season by winning four major trophies.
⏰ RESULT ⏰
Liverpool book their place in the final! 🎉
A game of two halves. What a performance by Villarreal, what a comeback by the Reds 👏
🔴 Fabinho, Luis Díaz & Mané inspire turnaround
🟡 Dia & Coquelin stun visitors in first half🤔 Who impressed you most?#UCL
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 3, 2022
Champions League Semi-Final: Liverpool beat 10-men Villarreal – HIGHLIGHTS
- 3’ – DIA!!! 1-0 VILLARREAL! What a start by the hosts! Capoue evades Robertson at the far post to cushion Estupinan’s deep cross back into the danger zone, where Dia reacts quickest to steer into an empty net.
- 41’ – COQUELIN!!! 2-0 ON THE DAY AND WE’RE ALL SQUARE! The former Arsenal midfielder levels the tie. Capoue does brilliantly to turn away from Robertson before crossing for Coquelin, who rises unchallenged to head past Alisson.
- 62’ – Goal! FABINHO!!! 3-2 LIVERPOOL ON AGGREGATE! The Reds regain the advantage in the tie. Fabinho beats the offside trap to latch onto Salah’s prodded throughball, before drilling a low shot through the legs of Rulli from a tight angle.
- 67’ – DIAZ!!! 2-2 ON THE NIGHT, 4-2 ON AGGREGATE! Liverpool have breathing space! All of a sudden, the Reds are back on track. Diaz ghosts into the area to meet Alexander-Arnold’s inviting cross, before burying his header past a helpless Rulli.
- 74’ – MANE!!! 3-2, LIVERPOOL lead 5-2 ON AGGREGATE! Surely, they are going to Paris now. Rulli comes racing out of goal in an attempt to clear a hopeful ball forward. However, Mane beats him to it and gets away from Foyth, before rolling the ball into an empty net.
Champions League Semi-Final: Liverpool beat 10-men Villarreal in stunning 2nd half COMEBACK to reach Champions League FINAL: Liverpool beat Villarreal 5-2 on Aggregate, Watch HIGHLIGHTS
Champions League Semi-Final: Liverpool produce 2nd half COMEBACK to reach Champions League FINAL
After failing to record a single shot on target at Anfield, the Yellow Submarine needed just three minutes to open the scoring, Dia tapping home after Capoue turned Pervis Estupinan’s delivery across goal.
Gerard Moreno saw a close-range header blocked as the visitors produced a dreadful first-half performance, and the Reds’ advantage, which looked to be decisive prior to kick-off, was wiped out when Coquelin sparked wild scenes by heading Capoue’s cross into the top-left corner.
Trent Alexander-Arnold struck the top of the crossbar with a deflected effort as Liverpool improved after the break, before Fabinho drilled a low shot through the legs of Rulli to restore the visitors’ aggregate lead after 62 minutes.
Diaz went close to bending home a superb second moments later, but was on hand to nod home Alexander-Arnold’s cross after 67 minutes and put the Reds back in full command of the tie.
The tie was settled once and for all when Mane took advantage of another Rulli error after 74 minutes, rounding the keeper well outside his area before rolling home to secure Liverpool’s progress, with Capoue then dismissed for a second yellow card after fouling Curtis Jones.
Liverpool overcome tough test to keep quadruple bid alive
Liverpool’s dreadful first-half display saw their aggregate lead vanish and left their hopes of competing for an incredible quadruple in the balance, but three goals in 12 minutes booked their spot in the final at the end of a remarkable contest.
Liverpool have now progressed to 10 European Cup/Champions League finals, becoming the fourth side to reach double figures for final appearances, after Real Madrid (16), Bayern Munich (11) and AC Milan (11).
Sadio Mane equals Frank Lampard’s record
By rounding Rulli to put the tie beyond all doubt, Mane netted his 15th goal in the Champions League knockout stages for Liverpool.
As a result, he equalled Frank Lampard’s record for the most such goals netted for an English club, and will be desperate to edge ahead of the former Chelsea man when he features in the final.
Liverpool make history
Klopp’s Liverpool may have evolved from the swashbuckling, heavy-metal side that lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid in 2018, but the Reds put on a clinical attacking display after the break to blow the Yellow Submarine out of the water.
Liverpool have now scored 139 goals in 57 games in all competitions this season, the highest such tally in their history.
What’s next?
Liverpool’s quadruple charge continues on Saturday when they host Tottenham in the Premier League. The following day, Villarreal host Sevilla in LaLiga as the Yellow Submarine look to make a late surge towards the European qualification places.
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