Caoimhín Kelleher saves Kylian Mbappe penalty as Liverpool shut in on Champions League last-16 with win over Actual Madrid
.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "Caoimhín Kelleher saves Kylian Mbappe penalty as Liverpool shut in on Champions League last-16 with win over Actual Madrid")
They are saying revenge is a dish finest served chilly and on a cold night time on Merseyside Liverpool lastly obtained one over on their European nemesis for the primary time since 2009, additionally on this floor, with a deserved 2-0 success.
They might even afford the uncommon sight of Mohamed Salah lacking a penalty, moments after Caoimhín Kelleher added one other second to a spotlight reel already substantial for a second-choice goalkeeper by saving Kylian Mbappe’s spot-kick.
Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo was heading in the right direction in opposition to the European champions (Peter Byrne/PA)
Victory over the 15-time winners has appeared particularly lengthy in coming as seven defeats and a draw within the final eight conferences barely inform the entire story after two heartbreaking remaining losses in 2018 and 2022.
And whereas extending their 100 per cent report to take care of high spot and offering an enormous morale increase forward of Sunday’s go to of Manchester Metropolis the outcome can not erase the damage beforehand inflicted.
This injury-ravaged Madrid facet nonetheless incorporates two gamers of their technology in Mbappe and Jude Bellingham however they’re at present not the power they have been, though you’ll nonetheless not rule them out of being concerned in Munich in Might such is their pedigree within the competitors.
However for now the Arne Slot bandwagon rolls on with a outstanding seventeenth win in 19 matches.
For some time it appeared Darwin Nunez, who has been surprisingly missing in his conventional catalytic chaos this season, would take centre-stage as he seemed up for the problem in his third successive begin.
However whereas the need was there he was all out of luck as in solely the fourth minute he noticed his shot saved by Thibaut Courtois and solely simply cleared off the road by Raul Asencio after the ball rebounded again off the defender.
That likelihood had been created deep in Liverpool territory the place, a lot to Anfield’s delight, Salah robbed Mbappe to spring the counter-attack.
Nunez then discovered the Actual goalkeeper, man of the match of their 2022 remaining victory over Liverpool in Paris, in the way in which of his close-range stab.
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In between, in typical fashion, Nunez had gone down within the penalty space after Asencio had raised his palms to the Uruguayan’s throat after which introduced one of many loudest cheers of the night time by beating Bellingham with a Cruyff flip not removed from the Liverpool space.
One other large cheer rang out for the 21-year-old Conor Bradley, whose completely timed sort out on the sting of the penalty space dispossessed a charging Mbappe on a one-man counter-attack.
Nonetheless Liverpool probed for the opener – with a Nunez header throughout objective too far in entrance of Diaz, whose header from Mac Allister’s chip was palmed away – and that continued after the break as they sensed Actual have been there for the taking.
It got here seven minutes in when Mac Allister collected a go from Bradley, instructed to play additional ahead within the second half, and clipped an angled shot by the group and previous Courtois.
Moments later the Argentina worldwide had much more time to select his spot from the sting of the realm however positioned his shot huge.
However the pivotal second got here within the 61st minute. Andy Robertson needlessly left his trailing leg in the way in which for Lucas Vazquez to journey over and referee Francois Letexier wasted no time in pointing to the spot.
Nevertheless, Kelleher guessed the suitable technique to deny Mbappe and Anfield exploded once more.
To be truthful to the French official, who had been irritating Liverpool together with his choices all night time, was equally as fast to award Salah a penalty when Ferland Mendy tripped him.
Mohamed Salah missed a penalty however Liverpool had finished sufficient (Peter Byrne/PA)
Lots of the crowd have been already cheering because the ball left the Egyptian’s foot however, for as soon as, his purpose was off and for a short second the bottom was swallowed up in a vacuum of disbelieving silence.
Nevertheless it didn’t final lengthy as Gakpo rose highest to energy dwelling Robertson’s cross and Anfield may take pleasure in some long-awaited payback.
The one concern, with Metropolis 4 days away, have been late accidents to Bradley and centre-back Ibrahima Konate.
