Liverpool To Face Villarreal In Semi Final After Thrilling Draw With Benfica Champions League

There was humility about Liverpool leaving after the final whistle compared to the happy scenes between Benfica fans serenading the classy Darwin Núñez and his teammates after their delayed recovery in a VAR. Maybe the mistakes in the concentration when they were comfortable in front were playing in the mind of Liverpool or the knowledge that he has to go again to the semi-final of the English Cup against Manchester City on Saturday, but they were talking about celebrations independently. A Champions League semi-final against Villarreal awaits Liverpool after a tumultuous match, when a header by Ibrahima Konaté and a goal by Roberto Firmino extended the comfort of their lead 3-1 in the first game. Benfica counterattacked from 3-1 at night thanks to two late goals that were canceled due to offside before being awarded by the VAR. Núñez also had two more goals conceded for offside. Their efforts were in vain. Liverpool advance to the 12th semi-final of the European Cup / Champions League, equaling the record of Manchester United for an English club and remain confident on the way to a third Champions League final in five seasons under Klopp. In the previous two cases, Liverpool beat Benfica in the quarterfinals – 1978 and 1984 – and continued to lift the trophy. Klopp is more interested in the minutes than in the omens and made seven changes from the team that started Sunday’s draw in City based on the second quarter-final match that required the “freshest legs”. His schedule requires rotation, but there was no doubt that the team’s card would have raised Benfica’s hopes before it started. They were only subtle hopes. This was Liverpool’s 200th European match at Anfield. Only seven of the previous 199 had ended in defeat by two or more goals. There was a minute’s silence before the game in memory of the 97 Liverpool fans who were killed illegally in Hillsborough 33 years ago this Friday. It would be nice to mention that it was perfectly observed, but some stupid people in the Benfica department, ignoring the “silences” that came from the majority around them, decided otherwise. With Mohamed Salah resting on the bench for the first time in a Champions League match this season, Klopp instructed Luis Diaz to harass Benfica from the right. The former Porto winger impressed again against his old opponents, with his rhythm, touch and direct movement being a constant thorn in the side’s defense. A ball with a thread from Jordan Henderson enabled Diaz to exchange passes with Firmino before he improved on the line and passed dangerously to the goal of Benfica. Goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos, injured a few moments earlier when he was bravely saved at the feet of Diogo Jota, tried under the pressure of James Milner but came together in time to remove the loose ball from Firmino. Liverpool remained on the attack and opened the scoring with the replay of their first goal at the Estádio da Luz. Costas Tsimikas, starting in the place of Andy Robertson, made a corner in the area of ​​Benfica, where Konaté climbed over a statuette of Jan Vertonghen and Nicolas Otamendi to head to the left corner of Vlachodimos. Konaté had opened a similar account in Liverpool eight days ago. They had not taken lessons in Benfica’s defense. Darwin Núñez tied the score at 3-3. Photo: Peter Powell / EPA However, there were warning signs for Liverpool. Everton rolled a shot a little out of the top corner of Allison in the first minutes and Nunieth thought he had canceled out Konaté’s head with a superb chip over the Liverpool goalkeeper. However, the dangerous center forward was offside when he passed to Everton. Benfica became more confident about the ball, encouraged by a relaxed Liverpool game and equalized for the first time on the night when Goncalo Ramos beat Allison with a convincing finish. Liverpool looked to the VAR to save her with an offside call against Ramos, but Milner, challenging Diogo Goncalves in the midfield, inadvertently had his scorer. Liverpool should have restored their lead before the interval, but Firmino delayed a pass to an unmarked Diaz and gave Alejandro Grimaldo time to clear. The Colombian international was not impressed at all. The Brazilian made up for it with two consecutive goals at the beginning of the second half. The Fiver: sign up and receive our daily football email. His first was a mess from the Portuguese point of view. Naby Keïta started the scoring with a penetrating pass to Díaz. Vlachodimos arrived first, but the goalkeeper, impressive in the first half, wrestled once again and forced Vertonghen into a desperate departure that cut him off at Jota. The Liverpool striker sent his shot out of the box, but Firmino was ready to convert it into an empty net. Firmino’s second was a controlled volley on the back post from a foul by Tsimikas that went over Benfica’s defense. Liverpool reached the last four and was out of action. Benfica substitute Roman Jaremcuk was taken offside after receiving a pass from Julian Weigl, rounding off Allison and rolling into an unguarded net. The VAR found that he had been played by Joe Gomez and Benfica had a lifeline in the game, if not a draw. A third followed in a similar way. Núñez’s cool finish after collecting a long ball outside of defense was canceled and then awarded after a long VAR rating. The Uruguayan striker scored again in the 95th minute but this time he was offside. The search for Liverpool continues.

title: “Liverpool To Face Villarreal In Semi Final After Thrilling Draw With Benfica Champions League " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-16” author: “Gene Smith”

There was humility about Liverpool leaving after the final whistle compared to the happy scenes between Benfica fans serenading the classy Darwin Núñez and his teammates after their delayed recovery in a VAR. Maybe the mistakes in the concentration when they were comfortable in front were playing in the mind of Liverpool or the knowledge that he has to go again to the semi-final of the English Cup against Manchester City on Saturday, but they were talking about celebrations independently. A Champions League semi-final against Villarreal awaits Liverpool after a tumultuous match, when a header by Ibrahima Konaté and a goal by Roberto Firmino extended the comfort of their lead 3-1 in the first game. Benfica counterattacked from 3-1 at night thanks to two late goals that were canceled due to offside before being awarded by the VAR. Núñez also had two more goals conceded for offside. Their efforts were in vain. Liverpool advance to the 12th semi-final of the European Cup / Champions League, equaling the record of Manchester United for an English club and remain confident on the way to a third Champions League final in five seasons under Klopp. In the previous two cases, Liverpool beat Benfica in the quarterfinals – 1978 and 1984 – and continued to lift the trophy. Klopp is more interested in the minutes than in the omens and made seven changes from the team that started Sunday’s draw in City based on the second quarter-final match that required the “freshest legs”. His schedule requires rotation, but there was no doubt that the team’s card would have raised Benfica’s hopes before it started. They were only subtle hopes. This was Liverpool’s 200th European match at Anfield. Only seven of the previous 199 had ended in defeat by two or more goals. There was a minute’s silence before the game in memory of the 97 Liverpool fans who were killed illegally in Hillsborough 33 years ago this Friday. It would be nice to mention that it was perfectly observed, but some stupid people in the Benfica department, ignoring the “silences” that came from the majority around them, decided otherwise. With Mohamed Salah resting on the bench for the first time in a Champions League match this season, Klopp instructed Luis Diaz to harass Benfica from the right. The former Porto winger impressed again against his old opponents, with his rhythm, touch and direct movement being a constant thorn in the side’s defense. A ball with a thread from Jordan Henderson enabled Diaz to exchange passes with Firmino before he improved on the line and passed dangerously to the goal of Benfica. Goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos, injured a few moments earlier when he was bravely saved at the feet of Diogo Jota, tried under the pressure of James Milner but came together in time to remove the loose ball from Firmino. Liverpool remained on the attack and opened the scoring with the replay of their first goal at the Estádio da Luz. Costas Tsimikas, starting in the place of Andy Robertson, made a corner in the area of ​​Benfica, where Konaté climbed over a statuette of Jan Vertonghen and Nicolas Otamendi to head to the left corner of Vlachodimos. Konaté had opened a similar account in Liverpool eight days ago. They had not taken lessons in Benfica’s defense. Darwin Núñez tied the score at 3-3. Photo: Peter Powell / EPA However, there were warning signs for Liverpool. Everton rolled a shot a little out of the top corner of Allison in the first minutes and Nunieth thought he had canceled out Konaté’s head with a superb chip over the Liverpool goalkeeper. However, the dangerous center forward was offside when he passed to Everton. Benfica became more confident about the ball, encouraged by a relaxed Liverpool game and equalized for the first time on the night when Goncalo Ramos beat Allison with a convincing finish. Liverpool looked to the VAR to save her with an offside call against Ramos, but Milner, challenging Diogo Goncalves in the midfield, inadvertently had his scorer. Liverpool should have restored their lead before the interval, but Firmino delayed a pass to an unmarked Diaz and gave Alejandro Grimaldo time to clear. The Colombian international was not impressed at all. The Brazilian made up for it with two consecutive goals at the beginning of the second half. The Fiver: sign up and receive our daily football email. His first was a mess from the Portuguese point of view. Naby Keïta started the scoring with a penetrating pass to Díaz. Vlachodimos arrived first, but the goalkeeper, impressive in the first half, wrestled once again and forced Vertonghen into a desperate departure that cut him off at Jota. The Liverpool striker sent his shot out of the box, but Firmino was ready to convert it into an empty net. Firmino’s second was a controlled volley on the back post from a foul by Tsimikas that went over Benfica’s defense. Liverpool reached the last four and was out of action. Benfica substitute Roman Jaremcuk was taken offside after receiving a pass from Julian Weigl, rounding off Allison and rolling into an unguarded net. The VAR found that he had been played by Joe Gomez and Benfica had a lifeline in the game, if not a draw. A third followed in a similar way. Núñez’s cool finish after collecting a long ball outside of defense was canceled and then awarded after a long VAR rating. The Uruguayan striker scored again in the 95th minute but this time he was offside. The search for Liverpool continues.