Despite losing 1-0 in the second leg at Anfield on Tuesday, Liverpool advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Inter Milan.
Last month’s first-leg goals from Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah put the Reds in command of the tie heading into the second leg.
The hosts hit the frame of the goal through Joel Matip and Salah and appeared to be invincible until Inter’s Lautaro Martinez scored a spectacular goal with an hour on the clock.
However, Alexis Sanchez was sent off for a second yellow card 107 seconds later, and Liverpool came closest to scoring the following goal when Salah hit the post.
Thiago Alcantara and Matip were reintroduced to Liverpool’s starting lineup, with the latter hitting the crossbar with the best of the Reds’ limited first-half chances.
Moments later, Milan Skriniar superbly saved Virgil van Dijk’s goal-bound header, while Hakan Calhanoglu tested Alisson from a low free-kick at the other end.
After Diogo Jota was denied by Samir Handanovic, Liverpool steadily started to turn the screw and could have been out of sight in the tie, only for Salah to fire against the upright.
Martinez’s twisting 20-yard shot into the top-right corner brought those missed chances back to haunt Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Sanchez, who had got a yellow card late in the first half for a challenge on Thiago, was sent off practically immediately after Martinez’s goal for a second time on the same opponent.
Salah’s cushioned volley bounced back against the upright, frustrating Liverpool even more, but the hosts held on to their one-goal aggregate lead to reach the last eight.
Source: Livescore News
