Liverpool beat Villarreal 2-0 in the Champions League semi-finals
This Wednesday, Liverpool and Villarreal met at Anfield Stadium in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. It was a duel where the English overwhelmed the Spanish and was reflected in an advantage that leaves them with the best chance of getting their place in the grand final.
The game began with the 'Reds' dominating, although in the first few minutes neither team had clear chances. Those at home pressed the exit of a 'yellow submarine' that it was difficult for him to leave from behind.
But some opportunities to beat the goal began in the 7th minute, when Konaté took a shot on goal, but Pau Torres managed to avoid Mané's shot. A minute later, Alexander-Arnold took a cross into the area that Salah headed, but the ball went high.
At 13' Luis Díaz drove a ball from the left wing and heading to the edge of the area took a powerful shot that goalkeeper Rulli ended up stopping in two halves.
Likewise, those led by Klopp continued to dominate the match and tried to generate scoring situations in the Villarreal area and at minute 21, they sent a long pass from the left sector so that Henderson appeared on the right wing, taking a right hand that he hit on the pole and out.
At 27' the locals try again. Salah receives a pass down the right wing and passes it to Mané who was in the area, the Senegalese returns it and the Egyptian takes a powerful shot that goes slightly over the crossbar.
At minute 31 Luis Díaz returns to star in a good occasion. The Colombian receives from the left sector and dribbles towards the front and, outlined, takes out a powerful shot that Rulli clears with his fists. At 33', Mané receives a pass at the edge of the area and turns to shoot a volley, but Albiol deflects it for a corner.
The English continued to dominate the chances and Villarreal pushed back defending. At 42', Thiago Alcántara received a pass in three quarters of the field and, outlining himself, took a powerful shot from mid-range that hit the crossbar. Great occasion for Klopp's!
With that marker they would go to rest and it was a real siege that Liverpool had against the Spanish. The locals continued to attack and in the 49th minute they scored a goal through Fabinho that was invalidated for Van Dijk being offside.
However, the first would arrive at minute 53 after a combination between Henderson and Salah, the Egyptian ends up returning it to the British and he takes a center that Estupiñán deflects and the ball goes to the bottom of the net. 1-0 partial.
Three minutes later Liverpool would score again, this time through Mané. The play starts from the right wing with Alexander-Arnold who gives Salah a pass, he turns around and heading to the area he passes it filtered to Mané so that, being hand in hand with Rulli, he takes a shot that would send the ball to the network background. 2-0 definitive.
The 'Reds' continued to lead the attack, again and again generating in Rulli's goal. At 67', Van Dijk shot from mid-range and Rulli cleared, then Colombian Luis Díaz recovered the ball, taking a shot that went wide for a corner.
Luis Díaz himself would have another at 78 'reaching the bottom line from the left sector of the area, but when he took the shot, the ball went to the side. As the minutes passed, Villarreal would not react and the locals would win with an important advantage for the second leg.
The second leg will take place next Tuesday, May 3 at the Estadio de la Cerámica and thus the finalist of this semifinal will be decided and on Wednesday the 4th will be the second leg of the semifinal between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu. The whites will try to come back from 4-3 in the first leg.