Liverpool in control; Chelsea gets out of jail
LIVERPOOL: Goals from Alex OxladeChamberlain and Georginio Wijnaldum secured a scrappy 21 win for Liverpool over Genk as the Champions League titleholder seized control of Group E yesterday.
In London, substitute Reece James completed an improbable comeback for Chelsea against Ajax, as the host came from three goals down to draw 44 after the Dutch team was reduced to nine men.
Ajax was 41 up at Stamford Bridge after 55 minutes, but Chelsea pulled a goal back in the 63rd before Daley Blind and Joel Veltman were both sent off in a sequence that completely changed the game.
Chelsea was also awarded a penalty for handball by Veltman — which led to his second booking — and Jorginho made it 43 with his second spot kick of the game.
James equalised with a low shot from a rebound in the 74th to complete the comeback, and Chelsea even thought it had scored a late winner through Cesar Azpilicueta. However, the goal was ruled out for a handball on Tammy Abraham after a video review.
Abraham’s own goal had given Ajax the lead before Jorginho equalised with his first penalty. Quincy Promes put Ajax in front with a header, before another own goal by Kepa Arrizabalaga and Donny van de Beek’s strike gave Ajax a threegoal lead.
Borussia Dortmund enjoyed a comeback of its own, bridging a two goal deficit to beat Inter Milan 32, and Napoli fluffed a chance to qualify for the knockout stage after drawing 11 home at home to Salzburg.
For Liverpool, after easily beating Belgian team Genk 41 last month, it has now posted a third consecutive win in Europe’s top club tournament to move one point above Napoli at the top of the standings.
Wijnaldum put the hosts in front before Ally Mbwana Samatta levelled with a header four minutes before halftime. OxladeChamberlain restored Liverpool’s lead in the 53rd minute.
Fivetime winner Barcelona was held 00 by Sparta Prague, which could give the Catalan giant a headache going into its final two group games in the Champions League. — AP