Liverpool advanced into the final of the UEFA Champions League despite going down to a 4-2 defeat against AS Roma in their semi-final, second leg clash at the Stade Olimpico in Rome on Wednesday.
The Reds who won the first leg 5-2, qualified on a 7-6 aggregate scoreline. The defeat was Liverpool’s first in this season’s Champions League campaign, but they did enough to squeeze through to their first UCL final since 2007.
The visitors stunned the home fans when they took the lead in the ninth minute through Saido Mane.
It was the first time Roma would be conceding a goal at home in the competition this season.
Sadio Mane’s early finish was wiped out by a hugely unfortunate James Milner own goal but Georginio Wijnaldum soon nodded in from close range to leave the Serie A side four behind overall at half-time.
Edin Dzeko punctuated a concerted spell of pressure from the hosts after the interval but the Reds dug in and Radja Nainggolan’s late double had no effect on the tie’s outcome.
So Jürgen Klopp’s team march on to a first appearance at the summit of European club football since 2007 and Real await them in Kiev later this month.
The key points…
Mane extended aggregate lead to four in ninth minute
Milner own goal gave Roma equaliser shortly after
Wijnaldum header secured crucial second away goal
Dzeko levelled again on the night and Nainggolan double won the match
But it is the Reds who will face reigning champions Real in Kiev on May 26
The team news…
Klopp made four changes from the weekend stalemate against Stoke City but just one from the first leg at Anfield – Wijnaldum came in for the injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
A cacophony of noise welcomed the sides onto the Stadio Olimpico pitch and heralded the beginning of a second leg that very quickly picked up the pace and goalmouth action of the first.
Less than a minute had elapsed when Stephan El Shaarawy escaped behind Dejan Lovren and lobbed in a cross that Dzeko only headed wide due to late pressure from Virgil van Dijk.
Alessandro Florenzi then punted one just wide of the left post as I Giallorossi sought an early strike.
But, instead, it was Liverpool who affected the aggregate scoreline on nine minutes.
Nainggolan’s sloppy pass infield gifted possession to Roberto Firmino and the No.9, so typically, chose the right option of Mane to his left for the Senegal international to clip beyond Alisson Becker.
So, first blow landed by the visitors. But their lead was short-lived – because of a bizarre own goal.
When El Shaarawy redirected a back-post ball into the middle of the box, Lovren’s attempted clearance smacked against Milner and spun into the corner of the net.
Klopp’s men shook off the concession and stood firm. The manager had asked for bravery in Rome and his call was heeded. Storm weathered, they struck again.
Jordan Henderson’s sweeping pass out to the left invited Andy Robertson to surge forward, his bold run carrying the Scot all the way to the byline.
Mane’s prodded finish from the cutback was well saved by the leg of Alisson but from the corner, Dzeko’s wayward header towards his own goal was flicked home by Wijnaldum.
Lady Luck switched allegiance to Liverpool as El Shaarawy – perhaps the Italians’ most consistent threat – shifted inside from the left and fired a shot that deflected off Milner and curved onto the far post.
The second half…
It was obvious from the beginning of the second half that neither team considered the tie to be finished and Roma’s threat in the opening exchanges was reinvigorated.
And it told seven minutes in.
El Shaarawy’s latest foray from the flank saw the wide-man test Loris Karius with an effort that the goalkeeper parried – and Dzeko was in position to pounce, angling a finish over the prone German for 2-2 on the night.
By now the attacks were almost exclusively coming from Eusebio Di Francesco’s charges and Liverpool were fortunate again just past the hour mark.
A delivery from the right side was flicked across the goalmouth by Dzeko and when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s attempted clearance ricocheted to El Shaarawy, his drive was blocked by the arm of the No.66.
As the visitors understandably dropped deeper to stem the tide, Roma simply kept pushing and pushing, moving the ball intelligently to create space in dangerous areas.
With the match moving into its final 10 minutes, Karius placed a firm – and important – hand on a low hit from Dzeko across goal that appeared on course for the bottom corner.
The stopper could not keep out Nainggolan’s long-range wallop off the inside of the left post four minutes from time, though.
And the Roma midfielder bagged a fourth from the penalty spot, deep into stoppage-time, when substitute Ragnar Klavan was judged to have handled in the area.
But it was not quite enough.
“We shall not be moved,” sang the travelling Reds. Their incredible Champions League journey continues on to Kiev and a battle for the trophy against Real.
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