Villarreal reach for extra time, but Liverpool’s quality shows after the change of sides and the Reds advance to the Champions League final

Liverpool won their Champions League semi-final rematch 3-2 at Villarreal to follow up a 2-0 home win. At half-time it was 2: 0 for Villarreal, only after the change of sides did the immense quality of Jürgen Klopp’s offense become apparent.

The home side took the first chance of the game when Boulaye Dia cleared the ball into an open net at the end of a neat combination. At the other end, Thiago Alcantara tried from outside the box but narrowly missed the crossbar.

Villarreal kept the pace high and managed to add a second goal before half-time. A cross from the right was headed towards the bar by Francis Coquelin. The stadium erupted, the visiting players watching with their mouths agape.

It was 2:0 going into the box, 2:2 on aggregate.

After the change of sides Liverpool were very active, in the 55th minute a hard shot by Trent Alexander-Arnold was knocked down by the home defence. However, the yellow submarine only lasted another seven minutes.

Then Fabinho went to the whitewash and from an angle and due to a mistake by the Villarreal goalkeeper, he reduced the score to 1: 2. And in the 67th minute, Alexander-Arnold found Luis Diaz, who equalised with a header. The final twist came in the 75th minute when Sadio Mané rounded the goalkeeper and sent the ball into the open net.

In frustration, Etienne Capoue was sent off after a second yellow card and Liverpool had already dealt with the final pressure. After a 5:2 win, the Reds go through to the final.

Source: Premier Sport 2