Champions League special
Klopp hero Firmino has Euro vision
ROBERTO FIRMINO grabbed the eye as Liverpool earned a last-gasp Champions League win over Paris St-Germain.
The Brazil ace was on the bench after his eye was injured as Jurgen Klopp’s men won at Tottenham at the weekend.
And Firmino covered it in celebration after coming on as a late sub and scoring the winner in the second minute of time added on.
Daniel Sturridge scored the opener on his first Champions League start in six years.
James Milner made it 2-0 from the spot before Thomas Meunier pulled one back just before half-time.
Mo Salah had a second-half goal ruled out and then gave the ball away for Neymar to set up Kylian Mbappe to equalise before Firmino’s eye-opener.
ROBERTO FIRMINO rose to the rescue as Liverpool just about got off to a winning start in the Champions League.
The Reds striker had started on the bench after picking up an eye injury in their win at Tottenham on Saturday.
He could only smile as replacement Daniel Sturridge put Jurgen Klopp’s side into a firsthalf lead with a fine header against Paris StGermain last night.
But he would have the final say after the French side came from two goals down and were on the cusp of stealing a point in a Champions League classic.
Target
Sturridge – who found the target on his firstever Champions League start for Liverpool – and a James Milner penalty looked to have done enough for the Reds.
But Neymar teed up Kylian Mbappe with seven minutes to go to after Thomas Meunier had pulled one back before the break.
Firmino had barely been involved after replacing Sturridge in the 72nd minute but in stoppage time he showed he could find the target even with his eye injury.
It was a meeting of two of the Champions League big boys and it felt like it as Anfield rocked as if it was a semi-final and not just a Group C opener.
It was the hosts who were on the front foot early on with Milner cutting back for Virgil van Dijk after a corner but the Dutchman’s strike was tipped over by Alphonse Areola. Milner then had a shot of his own that was turned away by the PSG shot-stopper.
PSG were caught up in an Anfield whirlwind and just as it looked like the French side had weathered the storm, up stepped Sturridge to open the scoring.
The England striker took his chance in the 30th minute as he rose to head home Andy Robertson’s stunning cross.
It was his first start for the Reds since November, having won Klopp over in the summer to save his Anfield career after spending the second half of last season on loan at West Brom while Liverpool progressed through to the Champions League Final.
Then, just five minutes later, the Reds had a second when Milner fired in from the spot after Georginio Wijnaldum was brought down by Juan Bernat in the area. It looked like the visitors were going to be blow away until they hit back in the 40th minute.
Former Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria crossed and the ball fell kindly for Meunier off Robertson and he found the bottom corner.
Sturridge then wasted a header, which was arguably an easier chance than his opener, as nerves started to creep in at Anfield.
It looked like it would prove to be a costly miss as a sloppy pass from Mo Salah saw Julian Draxler feed the ball to Neymar and his tricky feet set up Mbappe for the equaliser.
But then supersub Firmino jinked his way into space in the box before dramatically rifling the ball into the bottom corner to send Anfield wild.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Milner, Wijnaldum, Henderson; Salah (Shaqiri 85), Sturridge (Firmino 71), Mane (Fabinho 90). Subs: Mignolet, Keita, Moreno, Matip.
PSG (4-3-3): Areola; Meunier, Kimpembe, Thiago Silva, Bernat; Rabiot, Marquinhos, Di Maria (ChoupoMoting 80); Mbappe, Cavani (Draxler 80), Neymar. Subs: Cibois, Lehrer, Diarra, Nkunku, N’Soki.
Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey).