UEFA Champions League Report: Liverpool v FC Porto 09 April 2019

Jurgen Klopp's side took a fifth minute lead. James Milner played a beautiful long ball out on the other wing to Sadio Mane, who dribbled past a couple of defenders before finding Firmino in the box, and the Brazil forward laid the ball off to the onrushing Keita on the edge of the area whose heavily deflected shot bamboozled Iker Casillas and went in to the back of the net.   Salah almost made it two in the 18th minute, but his initial shot after cutting in from the wing was blocked, with the loose ball falling back to Keita who played in Salah with a one-touch pass before the Egypt winger's first-time shot was saved low by Casillas.   Liverpool were swarming the Porto final third and it was only a matter of time before the visitors' resistance crumbled and crumble it did in the 25th minute when the Reds grabbed their second. Jordan Henderson played Trent Alexander-Arnold through down the inside-right channel with a precise through ball. The attacking wing-back squared the ball in to Firmino in the box who had a simple tap-in in to an empty net.   Dragons coach Sérgio Conceição responded by switching his side's formation to an attacking 5-3-2 and it immediately paid dividends as Porto created two good chances in quick succession which served as a warning for Liverpool - both falling to Marega, but the Malian could not convert.   Firmino then had a gilt-edged opportunity after getting on the end of Henderson's pass following another Keita ball from deep, but his effort went well over the bar from close range.   Mane thought he had scored Liverpool's third shortly after the break but it was ruled out for offside. Henderson played a beautiful lofted ball towards the Porto area and found Mane, who finished past Casillas with aplomb, but the flag was raised for offside against the Senegal winger.   Marega then came close for a third time in the match in the 69th minute but Alisson got down smartly to save. Soon after,  Mane took a pass in his stride after being played in by Keita and attempted to beat the keeper with a curling effort, but the shot flew just wide of the right post.   In contrast to the first half, it was a rather dour second period, with little in the way of goalscoring opportunities created but that will suit Liverpool, who will be relieved not to have conceded an away goal.