Liverpool vs Real Madrid LIVE score: Champions League result as Real come from two goals down to win
Liverpool 2-5 Real Madrid: A 2-0 Liverpool lead soon turned into a heavy defeat on a nightmare night at Anfield
Real Madrid produced a stunning comeback from two goals down to earn a devastating 5-2 victory at Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
In a re-run of last year’s final, the first half was played at a ferocious pace, with the hosts racing into a fourth-minute lead through a superb Darwin Nunez flick, the quickest goal Liverpool have ever scored at Anfield in the Champions League. Anfield erupted 10 minutes later when a horrendous miscontrol from Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois left Mohamed Salah with the simple task of slotting the ball home to make it 2-0.
Yet just as they did on several occasions en route to their 14th European Cup crown last season, Real quickly turned things around, with Vinicius Jr. scoring one sublime strike and one fluke goal after another goalkeeping mistake to level the match by half-time. A bullet Eder Militao header completed the turnaround for Real early in the second half, sapping all the life out of Anfield in the process.
The hosts’ misery was not done there, however, as Karim Benzema’s double ensured Liverpool shipped five goals at home for only the third time this century in all competitions, leaving them with a monumental task to reach the quarter-finals.
Relive all the action from a crazy night at Anfield:
HT Liverpool 2- 2 Real Madrid
Mo Salah has scored 44 goals in the Champions League, joint-highest tally for an African player in the competition’s history (level with Didier Drogba).
HT Liverpool 2- 2 Real Madrid
... before Vinicius Jr struck twice to bring Real Madrid level again.
HT Liverpool 2- 2 Real Madrid
Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah sent Liverpool two goals to the good after jiust 14 minutes...
Half-time: Liverpool 2- 2 Real Madrid
45+3 mins: Everybody breathe.
That was an incredible 45 minutes and we’re just a quarter of the way through this last-16 tie. Liverpool went two goals in front before a brace from Vinicius Jr clawed things back for Real Madrid.
Both goalkeepers have made mistakes as well as brilliant saves. Expect more of the same in the second half, neither team will want to let this slip.
Liverpool 2- 2 Real Madrid
45 mins: The Red take the free kick quickly and string together a few passes before giving the ball to Stefan Bajcetic. He sends the ball forward and wins another free kick after Luka Modric is punished for handball.
Trent Alexander-Arnold takes it and whips a shot around the wall but sends it straight into the hands of Thibaut Courtois.
Three added minutes to play.
Liverpool 2- 2 Real Madrid
42 mins: Joe Gomez chests down a long clearance from Thibaut Courtois and drives through the middle of the pitch. He’s brought down by a lunging Valverde and wins a free kick.
Liverpool 2- 2 Real Madrid
39 mins: All square then. Real Madrid did this so many times last season. They were heading out at each stage of the Champions League knockout rounds but somehow pulled it back each time and eventually won the whole tourament.
GOAL! Liverpool 2- 2 Real Madrid (Vinicius Jr, 36’)⚽️
36 mins: Courtois made the error earlier in the game and now it’s Alisson’s turn. Federico Valverde slides a through ball up the pitch in an attempt to match Vinicius Jr’s run.
Joe Gomez gets in front of the forward and simply knocks the ball back to Alisson. Vinicius continues his run as Alisson looks to send the ball back to Gomez.
He goes to play the pass but hits it straight at the Real Madrid forward. Vinicius has no idea what’s happening but the ball hits him, loops into the air and drops into the back of the net!
Liverpool 2- 1 Real Madrid
33 mins: Liverpool are electric up top tonight. They’re not giving Real Madrid an inch to play in on the edge of their own penalty area.
Gakpo, Nunez and Salah are working really hard to find spaces to shoot as well as winning the ball back when Real take over possession.
Liverpool 2- 1 Real Madrid
30 mins: Save! Luka Modric whips a corner into the middle of the box and a flick on brings the ball over to Vinicius Jr on the left side of the area.
He brings the ball under control and rolls it onto his right foot. It’s almost the exact same angle from where he scored and his shot fizzes through the cluster of the bodies in front of him.
Alisson sees it late but leaps across to his left and makes a brilliant save with his outstretched left hand!
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