Late Diaz strike helps Liverpool take giant step towards last four
Nunez 49
LIVERPOOL
Konate 17, Mane 34, Diaz 87
1
3
Winger Luis Diaz marked his return to Portugal with the late crucial goal which gave Liverpool a 3-1 lead over Benfica to take back to Anfield for their Champions League quarterfinal second leg.
The former Porto star, signed in January, was booed relentlessly but he responded perfectly in the 87th minute to spare the blushes of Ibrahima Konate whose mistake just over half an hour after scoring his first goal for the club had gifted the hosts a goal they had barely deserved.
Jurgen Klopp’s side had been coastingathalf-timeintheestadio da Luz after Sadio Mane’s goal had doubled the advantage given to them by their centre-back’s header. But, having squandered numerous chances, Konate’s legs got tangled as hetriedtomakeaclearanceearlyinthesecondhalfanddarwin Nunez capitalised.
It was a goal which significantly changed the game for a long period as Benfica suddenly looked the better side with Liverpool completely out of sorts but Diaz had the final word to make the return look slightly more comfortable than it had done.
Victory saw Liverpool, who had lost their last three visits here, equal a club record of five successive away victories set in 2005-06.
Konate made the crucial 17th-minute breakthrough when Diaz won a corner which Andy Robertson swung to the far post where the defender easily out-jumped Everton to beat the goalkeeper with a downward header.
But better was still to come as Trent Alexander-arnold’s crossfield ball was laid on a plate for Diaz to nod into Mane’s path and the Senegal international could not fail to miss from close range, going past Steven Gerrard’s total of 22 Champions League goals.
Half-time brought another club record as Liverpool went 19 matches without conceding a first-half goal, although they had barely been troubled with Everton coming closest with a shot into the side-netting.
Four minutes into the second half that all changed with Konate’s calamity trying to deal with Rafa Silva’s low cross.
The goal altered the mood in the stadium and the momentum on the pitch and Klopp’s triple change of Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota and Jordan Henderson for Mane, Mohamed Salah and Thiago Alcantara attempted to restore control.
Further Konate misjudgements caused more problems, withalissonbeckerfirsthaving to parry Everton’s low shot and then after the defender went chasing a ball he could never win, Nunez had a penalty claim
rejected after tumbling under Virgil Van Dijk’s challenge.
The pressure seemed to be getting to even the best with Van Dijk’s air-kick in the centre-circle a brief moment of concern while Alisson also
duffed a couple of clearances.
But just when it looked like frustration would get the better of them Naby Keita’s perfect through-ball allowed Diaz to round the goalkeeper and slot home an angled shot.
On the last two occasions the teams met in the quarterfinals of this competition in 1978 and 1984 Liverpool went on to lift the trophy and Diaz’s goal put them well on their way to the last four.