Andy Robertson glared on the Benfica followers who pelted him with flag poles as he waited to take a stoppage time nook, however Liverpool had already served out punishment. Jürgen Klopp’s aspect are firmly heading in the right direction for the Champions League semi-finals following a commanding win in Lisbon.
There have been unexpected nerves when Darwin Nunez handed Benfica a lifeline early within the second half however Luis Díaz’s late end, on prime of first half targets from Ibrahima Konaté and Sadio Mané, mirrored the guests superiority on the evening.
Liverpool have been a mannequin of composure from the primary whistle, with neither the raucous environment inside Estádio da Luz nor six modifications from the workforce that beat Watford within the Premier League on Saturday capable of disturb their rhythm. Such is the energy at Klopp’s disposal as they enter a defining section of the marketing campaign. His workforce needed to cope with moments of particular person menace from Benfica’s forwards however in any other case they have been in nearly full management all through the primary half; faster and stronger within the problem, higher structured and the extra cohesive attacking unit. However for a number of lapses in entrance of objective and interventions by Benfica goalkeeper Odisseas Vlachodimos, the quadruple chasers would have had your entire tie sewn up by half-time. They needed to accept a two-goal cushion as an alternative.
Benfica discovered threats coming from all angles. Former Porto winger Díaz, his each contact whistled by his previous rivals, was a potent outlet on his return to Portugal and concerned in two early openings.
His left wing run resulted in Robertson crossing for Mané to move over earlier than, after Gilberto had over-elaborated and misplaced possession, Díaz delivered a pleasant low cross into the penalty space that each Mané and Mohamed Salah missed. Salah’s anguished response confirmed he ought to have accomplished higher with an inviting ball that rolled beneath his foot.
Klopp had hinted in his pre-match press convention that Liverpool’s main goalscorer will have to be rested sooner or later following a demanding season for membership and nation. However not but. There was no signal of fatigue in Salah when he discovered Mané and sprinted on to an beautiful back-heel by means of the house defence from the Senegal worldwide. Salah shot earlier than Nicolas Otamendi may intervene just for Vlachodimos to save lots of at his close to put up. The Egypt worldwide then broke down the correct from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross and teed up Naby Keïta on the sting of the Benfica space. Vlachodimos stored his workforce stage as soon as once more. However not for lengthy.
There was an inevitability in regards to the 350th away objective of Klopp’s Liverpool reign, though not in regards to the id of the goalscorer. When Robertson swung a nook over from the left Konaté was given far an excessive amount of area inside the world and powered an unstoppable header into the underside nook. Former Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen missed the preliminary header, whereas the diminutive Everton was left to mark the towering Konaté for some motive. The £36m summer season signing from RB Leipzig cared little as he celebrated the primary objective of his Liverpool profession.
Keïta may have made it two moments later when Mané, having labored his method free on the left, discovered the unmarked midfielder contained in the field. His header lacked energy or accuracy to hassle the Benfica keeper. Díaz then discovered himself by means of on objective courtesy of a superb ball from Keïta. Vlachodimos stood tall and blocked Díaz’s tried chip along with his chest.
Liverpool have been dominant, a second objective seemingly as inevitable as the primary, however survived a scare when Everton’s nook provided Otamendi a transparent probability to equalise with an in depth vary header. The previous Manchester Metropolis defender failed to attach, nonetheless, and was made to pay inside seconds because the exact proper foot of Alexander-Arnold carved open the Benfica defence as soon as once more. The suitable-back, again within the aspect following a current hamstring damage, swept a lovely ball between Gilberto and Otamendi and into the trail of the in-rushing Díaz. The Colombia worldwide confirmed good consciousness to move throughout objective to Mané, who made no mistake with a easy end on the finish of an excellent transfer.
One other sensible Alexander-Arnold cross gave Salah sight of objective on the stroke of half-time. Performed in behind the Benfica left-back, Alejandro Grimaldo, Salah was clear by means of and had time to select his spot to Vlachodimos’s left, however the keeper saved nicely to stop the ahead scoring for the ninth European away recreation in succession.
A 3-0 objective interval lead wouldn’t have flattered Liverpool, such was their superiority, but their procession unexpectedly ran aground instantly after the restart as Benfica re-emerged with far better depth and perception.
Caretaker coach Nelson Verissimo will need to have been in excellent type throughout the break. Immediately Nunez was wreaking havoc at a centre-forward, albeit aided and abetted by a nasty mistake from Konaté, and it was Liverpool’s flip to flounder.
The hosts got renewed objective when Rafa Silva broke down the correct and centred low into the guests’ penalty space. Konaté had the ball lined solely to utterly miss his clearance, and rotated in horror to see the cross land on the ft of Nunez
The Benfica striker discovered the far nook of Alisson’s objective with ease. Nunez then shot over from distance and headed over one other cross from Silva as Benfica pressed for a swift equaliser. Everton pressured Alisson to parry from distance and, because the stress intensified, Klopp responded with a triple substitution.
The introduction of Jordan Henderson, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino helped restore order, though not earlier than Nunez had a penalty attraction waved away when he raced clear down the left and checked inside Virgil van Dijk. The Liverpool defender caught out an arm to halt the striker’s run however the Spanish referee and VAR have been unmoved by Nunez’s impassioned appeals for a spot-kick.
Benfica’s menace dissipated thereafter, and Díaz restored Liverpool’s comfy benefit with three minutes remaining.
Keïta despatched the January signing away from the Benfica defence with a threaded cross that took a slight spark off Otamendi.
Díaz did the remainder, rounding the advancing Vlachodimos earlier than ending expertly. The semi-finals certainly await.