A look back at the key moments in Liverpool’s composed victory over Lille with Lille in Champions League action.
Liverpool 2 – 1 Lille
Reds: Salah 34’, Elliott 67’
Lille: David 63’
Pre-Match (Header 2)
Liverpool have already had one result go our way, and the top 8 is locked up. However, a win would guarantee one of the top 2 spots in the new Champions League format, which would ensure the Reds have Anfield as the second leg in every single round, a huge advantage!
Slot rests Konate and Trent, bringing in Quansah and Bradley in their place. Jones also comes in for Mac Alister, and Nunez earns the start after his late match heroics.
First Half
In the opening thirty minutes, it’s an exciting end-to-end match, where not a whole lot is actually happening. Both sides produced exactly 1 shot from outside the box, each about 0.03 xG. That said, it’s an exciting 0-0 so far, as both sides move the ball quickly through the lines (before losing it in the attacking third).
And then Liverpool open the scoring through who else? Mo Salah! Tsimikas wins the ball and helps spring a quick counter. The ball falls to Jones, who plays it through to Mo. Mo’s first time finish is from a long way out, but it’s perfectly placed past the onrushing keeper and into the back of the net.
Mo nearly gets a second just before the half, but pushes his effort just wide after doing brilliant to time his run and hold off the defender. It wasn’t a particularly dominant half, but Liverpool also never really got out of second gear, and have the lead. So. Great!
Second Half
Slot brings on Mac Alister and Elliott on for Jones and Gravenberch at halftime.
And before we reach the hour mark, Lille are down to 10 men after a frankly stupid second yellow, this time to bring down Lucho before he could run onto a through ball.
And then Lille go down the pitch and equalize on a scrappy goal off a rebound. Well. Okay then.
Slot responds by bringing on Endo for Szoboszlai, and then Elliott promptly puts Liverpool back in front. He unleashed a low, hard shot from outside the area, and a nasty deflection wrongfooted the keeper and found the back of the net!
Chiesa comes on as the final sub, relieving Luis Diaz. Diaz has been good tonight, though never really threatened to score. And Slot uses his last sub with a few minutes to go: Trent on for Bradley.
Final Thoughts
Liverpool won, and despite being level for 4 minutes, were largely unbothered tonight. And Liverpool have clinched one of the top 2 spots in the Champions League!