4-2 loss at Roma turns into a win for Liverpool
ROME — Liverpool advanced to its first Champions League soccer final in more than a decade despite a 4-2 loss at Roma on Wednesday.
The Reds scored two early goals and that was all they needed to advance 7-6 on aggregate after a 5-2 win in the first leg of the semifinals.
Sadio Mane took advantage of a misplaced Roma pass to put Liverpool ahead nine minutes in and Georginio Wijnaldum restored the advantage with a header after an own goal for Roma.
Edin Dzeko equalized for Roma early in the second half and Radja Nainggolan scored two late goals for the hosts as the Giallorossi narrowly missed out on another miracle after their stunning 3-0 second-leg victory over Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
In the May 26 final in Kyiv, Ukraine, Liverpool will face two-time defending champion Real Madrid. Madrid beat Bayern Munich 4-3 on aggregate in the other semifinal.
Liverpool last reached the final in 2007, when it lost to AC Milan, having won the last of its five titles over Milan two years earlier.
There were concerns of fan violence surrounding the match after two men from Rome were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following an assault outside the stadium before the first leg in Liverpool.
Supporters of both clubs met at Rome’s City Hall to condemn violence and express solidarity with Sean Cox, the Liverpool supporter who was severely injured in the clashes last week.
Inside the stadium, fans of both sides lit flares in the stands before kickoff. It was so loud at one point that the Champions League anthem couldn’t be heard.
With Liverpool advancing and Roma winning the match, both sets of fans applauded their clubs at the final whistle.
Like the first leg, Liverpool was more impressive early on before Roma asserted itself late.
Roma’s defence looked out of sorts when Nainggolan misplaced a pass early on and Roberto Firmino set up Mane for an unchallenged goal — the first Roma has conceded at home in this season’s Champions League.