Liverpool 4-2 Hoffenheim (6-3 agg): Reds ease into Champions League group stages Last Updated: 23/08/17 11:55pm
Liverpool secured their place in the Champions League group stages with a thumping 4-2 win over Hoffenheim to progress 6-3 on aggregate. Holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg in Germany, Liverpool answered the call from a raucous Anfield crowd by racing into a 3-0 lead inside 21 minutes.Emre Can bagged his first brace for the club which sandwiched a Mohamed Salah strike.Roberto Firmino added gloss to the comfortable victory in the second half while the Germans, who created plenty of openings, netted through Mark Uth and Sandro Wagner.Liverpool will find out their opponents in Europe's elite competition at 5pm on Thursday.
It was clear from the way Liverpool pressed on early with Sadio Mane and Salah, that Jurgen Klopp had called for an energetic start. His team had the game wrapped up with just 21 minutes on the clock after a pulsating period of attacking play that showed there could well be life without Phillipe Coutinho if they are to let him leave for Barcelona.
Can was released through by a wonderful back-heel on 11 minutes and fired home before Salah headed past Oliver Baumann seven minutes later.
Hoffenheim continued to play with a high line, which made it easy for Liverpool to create openings. Firmino raced down the left on 21 minutes and put a cross on a plate for Can to hammer home.
Julian Nagelsmann was forced to changed his system and sent on Uth, who took just four minutes to make an impact as he fired past Simon Mignolet on 29 minutes.
Liverpool added to their tally when Jordan Henderson powered through a tackle with Kevin Vogt and powered on towards the box just after the hour before sliding in Firmino, who couldn't miss.
Hoffenheim grabbed another consolation when former Leicester forward Andrej Kramaric teed up a header for Wagner.
The scoreline ensured Liverpool's place in the group stages for the first time since 2014-15.
Man of the match: Emre Can
Grabbed the all-important opening goal and his clever movement in forward areas caused the Germans plenty of problems - as identified by his second goal. Mane ran him very close after another outstanding performance.
Player Ratings
Liverpool: Mignolet (6), Alexander-Arnold (7), Matip (6), Lovren (6), Moreno (5), Henderson (7), Can (9), Wijnaldum (8), Mane (9), Salah (8), Firmino (8)
Subs: Milner (6), Klavan (6)
Hoffenheim: Baumann (8), Nordtveit (5), Vogt (4), Hübner (6), Kaderabek (5), Zuber (6), Geiger (6), Gnabry (7), Demirbay (7), Kramaric (6), Wagner (7)
Subs: Uth (7), Szalaiat (6), Toljan (6)
Man of the match: Emre Can
http://www.skysports.com/football/liverpool-vs-hoffenheim/383886 [ 此帖被羅力亞在2017-08-24 09:36重新編輯 ]