MANE MAN SETS REDS UP WITH BARCA
SADIO MANE sent Liverpool on their way to a thumping aggregate win over Porto as they eased into the Champions League semi-finals.
Leading 2-0 from the first leg at Anfield, the Reds were forced to survive an early bombardment before taking control.
Mane opened the scoring with a sliding effort – from Mo Salah’s scuffed shot – which was confirmed by VAR, before Salah stroked in a second after the break from a superb counter-attack.
Real Madrid-bound defender Eder Militao pulled a goal back for the home side before closerange headers from Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk sealed an impressive victory.
Liverpool will now face Barcelona in the first leg of their semifinal at the Nou Camp.
And on this form they will not fear the Catalan dragons after putting the fires out here in the Estadio do Dragao to put poor Porto through fresh agonies on their own soil.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said: “It is first time for me to play Barcelona, apart from in friendlies. I am looking forward to it.
“We’ve played better this season than we did tonight. It was always going to be a whirlwind and that was what it was.
“It was a difficult game but we go through to the semi-finals so I’m happy.”
The Reds, who had produced a scintillating display to beat Porto 5-0 in the last 16 at the Dragao stadium last season, had a different approach this time.
They soaked up the pressure as Porto made an impressive start, with Jesus Corona curling a powerful shot just over the bar in the opening minute.
Klopp’s side looked temporarily toothless but were just waiting for their moment which came in the 26th minute.
Mane latched on to a cross from Salah to beat Iker Casillas from close range but he was initially flagged offside only for referee Danny Makkelie to check the VAR.
After a two-minute review the goal was eventually given.
Facing the huge task of scoring four goals to qualify, Porto looked stunned despite having 15 shots before the interval.
Salah, who endured a goal drought in March, confirmed he was getting close to his best again when he coolly slotted the ball past Casillas after collecting a diagonal through ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
It was Salah’s first Champions League goal since December and his first away from Anfield in the competition in 12 months.
Militao soothed the home fans’ suffering a little, beating Roberto Firmino in the air to head home in the 69th minute.
Brazilian Firmino, who had started on the bench as Klopp handed a rare start to Divock Origi, made it 3-1 with a header with 13 minutes left and van Dijk headed home a fourth from a corner eight minutes later.