Benfica saved Anfield’s pride, while Liverpool kept their dreams of a seventh European crown and an unprecedented quadruple. Jurgen Klopp will consider it a decent exchange.
There was humility in leaving Liverpool after the last referee’s signal compared to the jubilant scenes among Benfica fans, who performed a serenade of the classy Darwin Nunez and colleagues after their late recovery in the form of VAR.
Maybe the lack of concentration when they were comfortable ahead played in Liverpool’s mind, or the knowledge that they had to go to the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on Saturday, but they still had reason to celebrate.
The Champions League semi-final against Villarreal awaits Liverpool after an unstable race, when a header by Ibrahim Conate and a hole by Roberto Firmino increased the comfort of their lead by 3-1 in the first match. Benfica responded at 3-1 down the night thanks to two late goals that were rejected for offside before being judged by the VAR.
Nunez had two other goals ruled out for offside. Their efforts were in vain. Liverpool advanced to the 12th semi-final of the Europa Cup / Champions League, beating Manchester United’s English club record, and remain confident on their way to a third Champions League final in five seasons under Klopp. In the previous two times Liverpool beat Benfica in the quarterfinals – 1978 and 1984 – they continued to lift the trophy.
Klopp is more concerned with practicality than omens and has made seven changes to the team that started Sunday’s draw in City based on the quarter-final rematch, which required the “freshest legs”. His schedule requires rotation, but there was no doubt that the team table would raise Benfica’s hopes before the start. They were only thin hopes. This was the 200th European match for Liverpool at Anfield.
Only seven of the previous 199 had lost two or more goals.
There was a minute of silence before the match in memory of the 97 Liverpool fans who were illegally killed in Hillsborough 33 years ago this Friday. It would be nice to note that this was impeccably observed, but a few idiotic individuals in the Benfica section, ignoring the “noises” coming from the majority around them, decided otherwise.
After Mohamed Salah rested on the bench for the first time in a Champions League match this season, Klopp instructed Luis Diaz to disturb Benfica on the right. The former Porto winger again impressed against its old rivals, with its pace, touch and direct movement a constant thorn in the side of defending the visitors. A ball threaded by Jordan Henderson allowed Diaz to exchange passes with Firmino before shooting to the finish line and making a dangerous pass to Benfica’s goal. Goalkeeper Odysseus Vlahodimos, injured moments earlier when he saved bravely at the feet of Diogo Jota, got involved under the pressure of James Milner, but recovered in time to get the loose ball out of Firmino. Liverpool continued to attack and opened the scoring with a repeat of their first goal at Estádio da Luz.
Costas Tsimikas, who started in place of Andy Robertson, took a corner in the Benfica area, where Konate rose above the majestic Jan Vertonghen and Nicolas Otamendi to head to the left corner of Vlahodimos. Konate had opened his Liverpool account in a similar style eight days ago. No lessons have been learned in defending Benfica.
Darwin Nunez tied the game at 3-3. Photo: Peter Powell / EPA
However, there were warning signs for Liverpool. Everton shot from the side of the upper corner of Alison in the first minutes and Nunez decided that he canceled the shot of Konate with an elegant shot over the goalkeeper of Liverpool. However, the dangerous central striker was offside as he raced to the Everton floor. Benfica became more and more confident in the ball, encouraged by a loose game of Liverpool and equalized for the first time in the night when Gonzalo Ramos defeated Alison with a convincing final. Liverpool looked to the VAR to save them by calling offside against Ramos, but Milner, challenging Diogo Goncalves in the midfield, had inadvertently played the goal scorer.
Liverpool had to regain their lead before the interval, but Firmino delayed a pass to an unmarked Diaz and gave Alejandro Grimaldo time to clear. The Colombian national was far from impressed. The Brazilian recovered with two quick consecutive goals at the beginning of the second half.
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His first was ruin from a Portuguese point of view. Nabi Keita provoked the movement with a piercing pass to Diaz. Vlahodimos arrived first, but the goalkeeper, impressive in the first match, got involved once again and forced Vertonghen to clear desperately, which he cut off for Iota. The Liverpool striker slammed his shot over the door, but Firmino was available to turn the door into an empty net.
Firmino’s second shot was controlled by a volley in the back post from a direct free kick by Tsimikas, which went over Benfica’s defense. Liverpool have been moving on momentum for the last four years and have given up as a result. Benfica’s deputy Roman Yaremchuk has been put offside after receiving a pass from Julian Weigel, bypassing Alison and rolling into an unguarded net. VAR noticed that he was played by Joe Gomez and Benfica had a lifeline in the game, if not a draw. A third followed in a similar way. Nunez’s cool finish after collecting a long ball of defense was rejected and then awarded after a lengthy VAR review.
The Uruguay striker struck again in the 95th minute, but this time he was in ambush. The search for Liverpool continues.
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