Mane scores as Liverpool overwhelm Villarreal 2-0
Wins in the Champions League semifinals are rarely as routine as Liverpool's 2-0 first-leg victory on Wednesday over the Spanish underdogs, who appear to have finally come unstuck on a fairytale run that has already accounted for European football’s royalty in Juventus and Bayern Munich.
Liverpool, still on course for an unprecedented quadruple of major trophies, proved to be a bigger test. The six-time European champions slowly dismantled the limited challenge of Villarreal on another night when they were swept along by the power of Anfield.
The goals came early in the second half — and within 133 seconds of each other — as Villarreal left back Pervis Estupinan unwittingly deflected a cross by Jordan Henderson into his own net in the 53rd minute, with goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli only managing to tip a looping ball into his own net.
One goal can quickly turn into two in these energy-charged European nights at Anfield and that's what transpired again, with Villarreal still shaken up from conceding the opener when Sadio Mane ran onto Mohamed Salah's through-ball and toepoked a low finish beyond Rulli.
The second leg takes place at Estadio de la Ceramica on Tuesday and only a major surprise will prevent Villarreal — a team only in seventh place in the Spanish league and filled with players who failed to make it in England — from bowing out, just like in 2006 in their only other appearance in the semifinals.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp struck a cautious note despite the one-sided nature of the first leg.
"Nothing has happened yet," he said. "We're playing a game and it's 20 at halftime. You have to be completely on alert, 100% in the right mood." Klopp has built a formidable winning machine that looks even more complete than the team which won the Champions League in 2019, a year after also reaching the final and losing to Real Madrid under the German coach.