UEFA Champions League
Result: FC Porto 1-4 Liverpool (1-6 on agg.)
Date: 17 April 2019
Venue: Estadio do Dragao
Liverpool secured passage to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals with a convincing 4-1 victory over FC Porto at Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday evening.
However, it was the home side who made an electric start to the match. In the 2nd minute, Jesus Corona cut in and unleashed a fierce drive after jinking past Robinson which just about sailed over the bar.
Five minutes later, Moussa Marega came close when he latched onto a Pepe pass in the box following a free-kick and hit a low drive on the turn, only for Alisson to dive low to his right and make the save. In the 15th minute, Marega couldn't connect with Alex Telles' brilliant cross from the left. And the Dragons were punished for their wasteful finishing when Liverpool took a 26th minute lead with their first shot on target. Mohamed Salah eked out a pinpoint pass towards Sadio Mane at the far post, and the Senegal forward poked it home from close range to break the deadlock. Soon after, Yacine Brahimi received Eder Militao's low cut-back and let loose with a low drive that Alisson was equal to with a snap save. On the stroke of half-time, James Milner almost doubled the Reds' lead when he got on the end of Trent Alexander-Arnold's whipped delivery and while his effort hit Felipe, the chance nearly bounced towards the inside of the far post before going just wide of Iker Casillas' goal. Jurgen Klopp's side were dominating possession and making the hosts chase shadows and deservedly doubled their lead in the 65th minute. Liverpool countered and Alexander-Arnold's raking through-ball found Salah, who coolly dispatched the ball past Casillas. Three minutes later, Porto pulled a goal back. Real Madrid-bound Militao leapt highest in a crowded Liverpool box and powered an unstoppable header past a diving Alisson. Mane then missed a sitter in the 73rd minute. The Senegal forward took a great first touch off of Jordan Henderson's pass before bursting clear of the Porto defence and rounding Casillas with an open goal to shoot at only for his attempt to go hopelessly wide. Four minutes later, Roberto Firmino got on the end of a wonderful cross by Henderson and glanced n excellent header past Casillas to make it 5-1 on aggregate and put the tie well beyond doubt. Captain Virgil van Dijk put gloss on the proceedings when Mane flicked on Milner's corner to the towering centre-back, who was completely unamrked in the six-yard box and powered the ball past Casillas for a comprehensive win.
