Ajax 0-3 Liverpool (Salah 42′, Nunez 49′, Elliott 52′)
Liverpool reached the Champions League knockouts and sent Ajax crashing out at the group stage with a clinical victory in Amsterdam.
Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott were all on target within a 10-minute spell either side of half-time, and it gives Liverpool an outside chance of leapfrogging Group A leaders Napoli next week.
Liverpool host Napoli on 1 November, with the Italian club three points clear and six goals better off in terms of goal difference. Liverpool, therefore, have it all to do to avoid facing a group winner in the last 16.
More on Champions League
Kane denied by VAR, Conte sees red, Edwards stars on return - Spurs 1-1 Sporting player ratings26 October, 2022
Salah and Nunez must blossom in tandem to save Liverpool’s season after Jekyll and Hyde display26 October, 2022
When the Champions League last-16 draw takes place and who Liverpool and Spurs could face26 October, 2022In the Netherlands, by all accounts Liverpool were second-best in the first half, but then they could have headed into half-time 2-0 up, such was the remarkable – and unexpectedly swift – turnaround.
After Steven Berghuis hit the post for Ajax inside two minutes, the hosts continued to press for the opener with plenty of space afforded to their attackers down the middle.
But what Ajax lacked, Salah showed in abundance, with the Egyptian clinically latching onto Jordan Henderson’s terrific cross to hand Liverpool the lead after Remko Pasveer questionably ran out of his goal to try and get to the ball first.
Moments later, Darwin Nunez hit the post when it looked easier to score after a flowing Liverpool move, but still the visitors had the advantage and qualification for the knockouts within their grasp.
Darwin, Darwin Nunez…
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 26, 2022#UCL pic.twitter.com/DzCQJvxnd4
“They got away with one,” Rio Ferdinand said of Liverpool on BT Sport at half-time. “Ajax could have scored twice, they will be so frustrated. They were the better team all over the park.”
The match was all-but over seven minutes after the break, with Nunez making amends for his miss with a fine header before Harvey Elliott added a third for Liverpool.
The 3-0 scoreline was seemingly unthinkable 30 minutes in, but with 40 minutes remaining it allowed Liverpool to coast towards full-time knowing a spot in the last 16 was secured. Cue the subs.
Liverpool at their worst then best
By i chief football writer Daniel Storey
Liverpool are through to the Champions League knockout stages, and if you close your eyes enough so you’re barely squinting, that might be enough.
Every match feels like a discovery of either how far Liverpool have fallen or how much promise they can offer that they are climbing back, like taking your first few steps after being spun round 10 times on the spot.
Tangible evidence of progress should be savoured. After the shambolic defeat in Naples, they got it done before the return fixture.
Read Daniel Sorey’s analysis in full here
Liverpool player ratings
Alisson: Had a routine save to make in the first half and was grateful for Alexander-Arnold soon after. Quiet second half. 6/10
Trent Alexander-Arnold: Back in the starting XI, a sloppy pass gifted Ajax a chance but he then made a huge block to deny Dusan Tadic shortly after the half-hour mark. 6/10
Joe Gomez: Backed to continue alongside Van Dijk with the returning Ibrahima Konate named on the bench. Not entirely cementing his place in the side, with this partnership needing work, although time may not be on Gomez’s side. 6/10
Virgil van Dijk: Busy first half but barely put a foot wrong despite the lack of midfield support. Continued to demand high standards from his teammates after the break, even when leading 3-0. 6/10
Andy Robertson: Typified Liverpool’s slow start when letting the ball run out of play after a poor control, but was back to his dangerous best when crossing for Mohamed Salah and their first half-chance of the match, and also starting the move which resulted in Nunez hitting the post. 7/10
Fabinho: With the spotlight on the Liverpool midfielder amid a sluggish start to the season, the Brazilian hardly helped matters with a poor first half. Liverpool’s defenders were getting dragged out, and really just needed a DM to persistently screen them. This became less of a problem, though, when Liverpool’s forwards got to work. 6/10
Jordan Henderson: Returned to the starting XI and was also guilty of letting Ajax enjoy too much freedom through the middle in the first half. Going forward, though, it was his perfect pass which assisted Salah. 6/10
Harvey Elliott: Struggled to make an impact in the first half, mainly down to Ajax’s midfield dominance (despite the half-time scoreline). Made his mark after the break, however, scoring in consecutive Champions League games when firing into the roof of the net after Salah played him in. 7/10
Mohamed Salah: Like all clinical forwards, barely had a sniff but then handed Liverpool a 1-0 lead with his sixth goal in five games. 7/10
Roberto Firmino: Unselfishly played in Nunez when Liverpool were chasing a two-goal advantage. 6/10
Darwin Nunez: Really should have doubled Liverpool’s lead just before half-time. Goes down as a missed sitter when hitting the post. But then he did double Liverpool’s head just after half-time, scoring a fine header from a corner. 7/10
Subs:
Curtis Jones: On for Nunez just after the hour-mark. 6/10
James Milner, Fabio Carvalho, Stefan Bajcetic: Triple sub for Fabinho, Henderson, Elliott. n/a
Kostas Tsimikas – n/a
from Football | News and analysis from the Premier League and beyond | iNews https://ift.tt/yaNcMAT
Post a Comment