The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Salah strikes put holders safely through to last 16
Lampard’s Blues also clinch slot in final stages by defeating group whipping boys
RB SALZBURG 0 LIVERPOOL 2
Even on his bad days Mohamed Salah is capable of something quite brilliant and he duly delivered against Red Bull Salzburg to guide Liverpool into the Champions League last 16.
The Egypt international missed a hat-trick of chances he would usually put away but scored an outrageously good goal from the narrowest of angles to secure a 2-0 win in Austria as Jurgen Klopp’s side topped Group E.
After a testing first half – not withstanding two missed Salah sitters – Naby Keita put the Reds ahead against his former club, with another ex-salzburg forward, Sadio Mane, providing the assist.
But Salah showed his quality and mental resilience to keep making the runs after a third simple chance went begging and was rewarded when goalkeeper Cican Stankovic came rushing out and he rounded him to roll in a curling shot from out wide which virtually brushed the near post on its way to nestling just inside the far upright.
It almost defied the laws of geometry as, from barely eight yards from the byline and probably 20 yards out, the ball seemed to be spinning away from goal from the moment it left his weaker right foot.
Even Salah himself appeared surprised by the outcome as he was mobbed by jubilant team-mates, who had endured a more difficult night than they would have wanted up to that point.
For the third successive season the fate of the defending champions, also finalists in 2018, came down to their last group match but they needed only a draw to progress on this occasion whereas 12 months ago it was a victory.
Keita’s unexpected inclusion meant Liverpool did not have the traditionally more solid midfield usually reserved for such occasions and it led to a chaotic game which played into the hosts’ hands.
Salzburg’s goalscoring sensation Erling Braut Haaland – who had predicted he would score a hat-trick in a 3-1 win – was substituted with 25 minutes to go. Despite 28 goals in his 21 previous appearances, he had drawn his first Champions League blank.
The very best do it when it counts. Liverpool and Salah did – and have done many times in the past – but the 19-yearold, linked with Manchester United among others, has plenty of time to acquire that aptitude.
CHELSEA 2 LILLE 1
Tammy Abraham tapped home a fine team goal as Chelsea saw off Lille 2-1 at Stamford Bridge to reach the Champions League’s last 16.
England hitman Abraham notched his 13th Chelsea goal in all competitions this term, with Cesar Azpilicueta heading in a second from Emerson’s corner.
Former Blues striker Loic Remy blasted in an impressive late strike but Chelsea rebuffed the Lille comeback to seal their place in the knockout stages.
Abraham applied the finishing touch to a crisp five-man move to light up a dank west London night, as Chelsea responded admirably to Frank Lampard’s pre-match challenge.
Frustrated boss Lampard had called on his faltering young stars to show tougher “personality” in the wake of Saturday’s 3-1 Premier League loss at Everton.
Chelsea entered last night’s clash with just one win in five matches, with Lampard facing the first tangible test of his Stamford Bridge managerial reign.
And he will hope bigger and better European nights await his youthful charges.