Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister scored either side of half-time as Liverpool overturned an early deficit to defeat Atletico Madrid 2-1 at Anfield in their opening Champions League league-phase fixture on Wednesday night.
Atletico, managed by Diego Simeone, took a surprise lead in the 17th minute against the run of play. Julian Alvarez dropped deep into midfield, collected the ball and drove forward before slipping a precise through-pass to Marcos Llorente, who had timed his run perfectly behind the Liverpool defence. Llorente calmly slotted past Alisson to claim his fifth goal in three appearances at Anfield — a remarkable record at a ground where visiting strikers rarely prosper.
Liverpool had dominated the opening exchanges, with Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola all threatening early on, but they struggled to convert possession into clear-cut chances after falling behind. Alvarez nearly doubled Atletico's advantage midway through the half, forcing Alisson into a sharp save from distance.
The equaliser arrived in the 40th minute and owed much to Ronald Araujo's improvisation. After Barcola's effort was saved by Jan Oblak, the ball recycled to Araujo inside the box, and the Uruguayan produced an impudent backheel to find Szoboszlai in space. The Hungarian midfielder swept a first-time finish into the bottom corner to level the scores before the break.
Liverpool emerged with renewed urgency after half-time. Barcola was played through on goal early in the second period but dragged his shot wide, yet the pressure told moments later when Mac Allister struck. The Argentine collected a loose ball on the edge of the area and unleashed a powerful left-footed drive that left Oblak rooted to the spot, putting the Reds ahead for the first time.
The goal settled the contest. Liverpool managed the remaining 40 minutes with composure, limiting Atletico to few opportunities as Andoni Iraola celebrated a winning start to his Champions League campaign in the Anfield dugout. The result extends Liverpool's strong European record at home and sends a statement to the rest of the league phase.
Sources
- https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-champions-league-coverage/83531/liverpool-2-atletico-madrid-1-match-recap-reds-come-from-behind-macallister-szoboszlai
- https://www.intothecalderon.com/atletico-madrid-player-ratings/27920/ratings-liverpool-atletico-madrid-champions-league-llorente-alvarez-simeone
