It was the fight Jürgen Klopp had envisaged, not always the procession another heavy aggregate defeat of Porto might suggest, and Liverpool passed every test at a raucous Estádio do Dragão. Strong, resilient, clinical and cutting; every attribute that has honed Klopp’s team into a fearsome European unit was in evidence as they sailed into the Champions League semi-finals for a second year running. Messi awaits.
Liverpool do not lose to Porto. Under Klopp, they do not lose two-legged European ties either and a tenth consecutive knockout victory maintained their prospects of a third Uefa final under the German manager who has revitalised this club. Barcelona represent an intriguing prospect in the last four, a reunion with Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho, and Liverpool will savour the prospect. Sadio Mané pounced to put Liverpool on course for an ultimately comfortable victory before Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk inflicted heavy punishment on Porto in the second half. Firmino and van Dijk both scored with close range headers to deliver a convincing win.
Written by Andy Hunter at Estádio do Dragão
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/apr/17/porto-liverpool-champions-league-quarter-final-second-leg-match-report under the title “Sadio Mané sets Liverpool up for comfortable passage past Porto”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
