Benfica vs Liverpool LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction tonight
Relive all the action from the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon
Winger Luis Diaz marked his return to Portugal with the crucial late goal which gave Liverpool a 3-1 lead over Benfica to take back to Anfield for their Champions League quarter-final second leg.
The former Porto star, signed in January, was booed relentlessly but he responded perfectly in the 87th minute to spare the blushes of Ibrahima Konate, whose mistake just over half an hour after scoring his first goal for the club had gifted the hosts a goal they had barely deserved.
Jurgen Klopp’s side had been coasting at half-time in the Estadio da Luz after Sadio Mane’s goal doubled the advantage given to them by their centre-back’s header but having squandered numerous chances, Konate’s legs got tangled as he tried to make a clearance early in the second half and Darwin Nunez capitalised.
It was a goal which significantly changed the game for a long period, as Benfica suddenly looked the better side with Liverpool completely out of sorts, but Diaz had the final word to make the return look slightly more comfortable than it had done.
Victory saw Liverpool, who had lost on their last three visits here, equal a club record of five successive away victories in Europe.
Relive all the action live below:
Benfica 0 - 0 Liverpool
9 mins: Nearly! A breezy counter-attack from Liverpool sees Luis Diaz carry the ball down the left side as Sadio Mane and Mo Salah both make runs into the penalty area. Diaz sends it across Mane and Salah sticks out a leg to reach the pass. He gets a foot to the ball but can’t control it and Vlachodimos is able to scoop it up as it rolls away from the Liverpool striker.
Benfica 0 - 0 Liverpool
6 mins: Close! That’s a little sloppy from Liverpool. Darwin Nunez is given the ball on the right side and decides to take on Andy Robertson. The left-back lunges into the tackle as Nunez dinks the ball past him and sprints into space to the right side of the box. He sends a quick, hopeful cross into the middle and Trent Alexander-Arnold delays his clearance on is almost charged down by Everton. Instead the ball hits the Benfica player and heads out for a goal kick.
Benfica 0 - 0 Liverpool
3 mins: Liverpool’s Luis Diaz is getting booed from the home fans whenever the ball comes over to him on the left wing. Diaz used to play for Benfica’s domestic rivals Porto before moving to Anfield in January.
Rafa Silva receives the ball on Benfica’s right side. He shifts it up towards the box and drives forward. Ibrahima Konate spots the danger and powerfully shoulders him off the ball to win it back for the visitors.
Kick off: Benfica 0 - 0 Liverpool
Liverpool have won all four of their away games in the Champions League this season and another win tonight would be a club record for consecutive away victories in the competition.
Jurgen Klopp’s men are playing in their away kit tonight as they get the match underway. It comes to Virgil van Dijk who boots a long diagonal up the pitch for Mo Salah but gets the pass slightly wrong and it bounces into the box and safely through to Odisseas Vlachodimos in Benfica’s goal.
Benfica vs Liverpool
The teams head out onto the pitch at the Estadio da Luz, can Liverpool earn themselves a win this evening and bring some momentum into their Premier League clash with Manchester City at the weekend?
Benfica vs Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp on his team selection: “It is quarter final of the Champions League and we have to prepare for it with all we have.
“This is a big chance for Benfica as well, a big challenge yes but a big chance as well so I am not surprised they will give it a proper try.
“We have not thought for one second what result I want tonight. We just focus on the game, we respect them a lot.”
Benfica vs Liverpool
Sadio Mane is playing as the central striker for Liverpool tonight with Mo Salah on his right and Luis Diaz on his left. How vital will he be to Liverpool’s chances of winning?
Benfica vs Liverpool
Fabinho makes his 60th Champions League appearance this evening. He spoke about his role in Liverpool’s midfield saying:
“I like it because I get to be very involved in the match,” he said. “I receive the ball a lot and I’m involved in the creation process. It’s good because I always have the ball, and I’m always very involved in transition between defence and the attack.”
Benfica vs Liverpool
Mo Salah is ready to go for Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp has named a strong team for tonight’s Champions League quarter-final against Benfica. Can Salah get back on the scoresheet?
Diogo Jota growing into a world-class striker, claims Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Diogo Jota is becoming a world-class striker after the Portugal international reached 20 goals in a season for the first time.
Jota’s first-half goal in the 2-0 win over Watford was his 14th in 27 Premier League matches this season and set up a 10th successive top-flight win after Fabinho added a late penalty.
The 25-year-old’s overall strike-rate is 33 in 70 appearances since joining the club in September 2020 and he has proved to be an astute £43million addition to a forward line of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino which was already one of the best on the planet.
Diogo Jota growing into a world-class striker, claims Jurgen Klopp
The Portugal international has scored 20 goals in a season for the first time
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