Roberto Firmino struck a stoppage-time winner as Liverpool beat Paris St Germain 3-2 at Anfield on Tuesday after Kylian Mbappe looked to have secured a point for the French side in a compelling Champions League Group C clash.
Anfield played host to some memorable matches in this competition last season as Liverpool marched towards a losing final appearance against Real Madrid, and the first match of the current group stage proved to be another electric night of entertainment.
PSG had come back from two goals down with French World Cup winner Mbappe equalising in the 83rd minute, but then Firmino, who started on the bench due to an eye injury, drilled home a low shot in the final seconds.
It was a deserved victory for Juergen Klopp’s team who had been on top for most of the match and handled the sport’s most expensively-assembled frontline with some confidence.
Yet it was agonising for PSG, who had looked buried in the first half but showed character to claw themselves back on level terms.
“The cool development of this club is that when you hear Liverpool are playing PSG you don’t think we have no chance any more,” the German manager told reporters.
“One, two or three years ago maybe people thought it’s a mountain we cannot climb. That is good that it is not like that now and that is because of last year. It’s still so unbelievably difficult. What the boys make of the match plan is extraordinary. One of them a yard less and it’s game over.”
“I can’t say enough good things about Bobby. To come off the bench after his injury at the weekend is incredible really,” he added.
Daniel Sturridge, who had not started a Champions League game since his days with Chelsea in 2012, was given the nod to replace Firmino in attack and the English striker responded superbly.
With Anfield in loud and proud mood, Liverpool came roaring out and put Thomas Tuchel’s side under intense pressure from the outset.
James Milner brought a roar out of the home fans when he left Neymar crumpled on the floor after a crunching, but fair, tackle on the Brazil forward.
Liverpool were winning every challenge in midfield and managing to nullify the dangers presented by Neymar and Mbappe and they were charging forward with intent at every opportunity.
It was Sturridge who opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a fine header from an Andy Robertson cross, the striker getting in between Thiago Silva and Presnel Kimpembe and powering home his effort.
Six minutes later the Reds doubled their lead when PSG defender Juan Bernat tripped Georginio Wijnaldum in the area and Milner slotted home the penalty.
The Parisians got themselves back into the game though five minutes before the break when Robertson, who had been outstanding in restricting Mbappe, failed to clear and Thomas Meunier drove home a first-time effort.
Liverpool thought they had a third after the break when Mohamed Salah had the ball in the net but the effort was ruled out by referee who correctly ruled that Sturridge had fouled Areola when the pair scrapped for a loose ball.
Agencies
