Liverpool 3-2 PSG
The Champions League has plenty of exciting games to look forward to, and this game between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain was one of the most-anticipated matches from the moment the two clubs were grouped together.
Both teams starred outstanding attacking talent that terrorised much of England and France. They also have top-notch managers in Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel who once managed another exciting Bundesliga outfit in Borussia Dortmund. Liverpool vs PSG predictions were difficult to make due to how competitive both of these teams were.
Many expected an exciting game, but I don’t think Anfield anticipated such a brilliant and resilient showing from their Reds!
Highlights of the game
Liverpool’s front three weren’t at full strength during the start as Roberto Firmino started on the bench. However, the Reds played their attacking football as if the Brazil international was on the pitch, validating Klopp’s reasoning of picking his own attacking three over PSG’s trident of Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe.
Alphonse Areola was put to work early in the game due to the pesky attacks of the Mohamed Salah-led Reds. Virgil van Dijk and James Milner had early shot attempts at the goal, and both shots were brilliantly saved by the World Cup-winning France keeper. Joe Gomez also tried to test Areola’s keeping skills, but his fifteenth-minute header flew wide of the left post.
Of course, the hosts aren’t the only supreme attacking force on display, and PSG immediately reminded everyone at Anfield that they are heavy favourites to make it out of the group. Neymar and Edinson Cavani threatened Alisson with brilliant individual efforts. Fortunately, the Brazilian stopper easily handled the balls.
The high-octane exchanges would continue for the next 10 minutes as both sides tussled to get a goal, and everyone in the stadium could feel that a goal was not far away. The players stepped up their tempo as they tried to give their side the much-needed advantage.
The goal was indeed delivered on 30 minutes, and it was the majority of Anfield who celebrated the first strike. Daniel Sturridge, who came in for Firmino, connected with an Andrew Robertson cross and smashed the close-range header to the middle of the goal. There was nothing Areola could do about the ceded goal.
Mbappe tried to equalise the score five minutes later with a fine effort inside the box, but his shot went just over the crossbar. However, he might have rued not scoring the equaliser for Juan Bernat made a poor tackle on his opponent. Referee Cuneyt Cakir immediately pointed to the spot. Milner took the penalty and gave the Reds an all-important two-goal cushion.
However, Thomas Meunier immediately dampened the high spirits of Liverpool with a fantastic shot of their own. A cross meant for Cavani went nowhere, and the ball ended up on the feet of the Belgian full-back. He fired a first-time shot that went straight to the bottom-left corner. Some may complain that Cavani was offside when the pass was made, but the decision stood. The half ended with the Reds hanging to a one-goal edge.
The second half saw as much Champions League 2018 highlights that we witnessed in the first half. The half was filled with as much drama despite the lack of goals compared to the first half.
Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool star who fell in love with the club through the FIFA video games, was hyperactive in the half. He was eager to open his Champions League account for the season and was very active at the final third.
He actually saw his effort bore fruit in the 58th minute when he was able to poach the ball into the net. However, his goal was disallowed due to Sturridge fouling Areola a second before the goal was made.
It was from that point on that the SBOBET tips made before the match were starting to turn stale. Liverpool began to look impatient while PSG began to find their stride. Their dilemma got worse when Kylian Mbappe, the young French superstar, fired the equaliser on 83 minutes. The game was in anybody’s hands now.
It was during this dark times that Klopp made the most surprising decision: he tapped Firmino, who was injured in Liverpool’s win against Tottenham, to enter the game in the 73rd minute. He kept up the offensive pressure as the Liverpool trio was in full strength.
His ninety-third-minute goal was what settled the game, much to the delight of Liverpool fans. He created some space inside the box and fired the ball to the bottom left. There was nothing Areola could do but see the ball go in.
Klopp, like the rest of Anfield, was ecstatic to see such a fantastic game end in their favour. Both teams could have won the game, and he is just glad that they are the ones grinning to the showers.
Key statistics
Roberto Firmino has scored in his last three competitive outings to make up for Salah’s three-match scoring drought. It is also interesting to point out that all of the changes Klopp made in the game were on the attacking end.
One could say that Liverpool won the game in terms of the final score and content, but the stats show that the Reds were far from clinical on the attacking end. They fluffed five shot attempts and failed to make the most of the 13 corner kicks they were gifted.
However, the fact that they limited a prolific PSG side to only nine goal attempts is a victory for Klopp’s gegenpressing philosophies.
What’s next?
It’s back to the domestic fronts for these two giants. Liverpool will be squaring off against Southampton in the Premier League before facing Chelsea in the League Cup. Meanwhile, PSG will be facing Rennes and Reims up next.
The next round of the Champions League is a tough one for Klopp: they are headed to Napoli to face a dangerous team led by Carlo Ancelotti. Meanwhile, Tuchel has a chance for redemption against Crvena Zvezda.
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