LIVERPOOL : Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk headed home a last-gasp goal in stoppage time to lead Arne Slot’s men to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in the opening game of their Champions League campaign on Wednesday at Anfield.
The game appeared headed for a draw after Marcos Llorente scored twice to pull the Spaniards back into the game – before Van Dijk’s header from a corner in the 92nd minute.
Atletico manager Diego Simeone was sent off moments later after having to be pulled away from the crowd.
Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah also scored and set up another on an entertaining evening that also saw the Reds debut of British record signing Alexander Isak.
Liverpool stormed out of the gate with two goals before the game was six minutes old. Andy Robertson struck in the fourth minute in his first start of the season when Salah’s free-kick ricocheted off him and over the line past goalkeeper Jan Oblak who was rooted to the spot.
Salah bagged a goal of his own two minutes later when he muscled through three Atletico defenders after a quick one-two with Ryan Gravenberch, then slotted into the far corner from an angle.
But the visitors grew into the game and Llorente clawed one back with his first goal of the night on the stroke of halftime before equalising in the 81st minute with a sumptuous volley that took a deflection on its way in.
It felt like a recurring nightmare at Anfield as Llorente played the hero in 2020 against Liverpool as well, scoring twice as Atletico knocked them out of the Champions League last 16.
“Marcos likes this stadium, he repeated a fantastic performance here,” Simeone said. “I think our spirits are high. We lost in the end, sometimes it’s your turn to lose, that’s what happened today.”
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Once again Liverpool salvaged victory with more late-game heroics in what is starting to feel like a habit. All four of their Premier League victories this season have required a winner in the last 10 minutes.
“We kept pushing,” Van Dijk said. “We found a way again. I’m glad I got the winner. You have to keep going and show the resilience we have been showing for many years.
“It was another great European night here. We have shown many times that we are capable of doing it, and today I am the lucky one with the winner.”
Robertson said Liverpool need to get back to winning “simpler.”
“It’s a great thing to keep going right to the end, but when you are 2-0 up and playing so well it should have been a more comfortable night,” he said.
Isak, who signed on deadline day for 125 million pounds ($169.5 million) from Newcastle United, started and played 58 minutes, firing wide of the net with his first shot late in the first half, then launching his second effort about a minute later straight at Oblak.
Liverpool had 20 shots to the visitors’ 10 and their numerous near-misses, including a virtual sitter that Salah rang off the post, had the Anfield crowd on the edge of their seats.
Slot’s team are looking to build on last season’s strong league-phase performance before they lost to eventual winners Paris St Germain in the last 16.
