Liverpool: Roberto Firmino struck an added on time winner as Liverpool beat Paris St Germain (PSG) 3-2 at Anfield here Tuesday after Kylian Mbappe looked to have secured a point for the French side in a compelling Champions League in an electrifying Group C clash.
PSG had come back from two goals down with French World Cup winner Mbappe equalising in the 83rd minute, but then Firmino, who started on the bench due to an eye injury, drilled home a low shot in the final seconds.
It was a deserved victory for Juergen Klopp’s team who had been on top for most of the match and handled the sport’s most expensively-assembled frontline with some confidence.
Daniel Sturridge, who had not started a Champions League game since his days with Chelsea in 2012, was given the nod to replace Firmino in attack and the English striker responded superbly.
Virgil van Dijk forced Alphonse Areola in the PSG goal into early action in the sixth minute while the PSG keeper also did well to keep out a low drive from James Milner.
Milner brought another roar out of the home fans when he left Neymar crumpled on the floor after a crunching, but fair, tackle on the Brazil forward.
It was Sturridge who opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a fine header from an Andy Robertson cross, the striker getting in between Thiago Silva and Presnel Kimpembe and powering home his effort.
Six minutes later the Reds doubled their lead when PSG defender Juan Bernat tripped Georginio Wijnaldum in the area and Milner slotted home the penalty.
The Parisians got themselves back into the game though five minutes before the break when Robertson, who had been outstanding in restricting Mbappe, failed to clear and Thomas Meunier drove home a first-time effort.
Liverpool thought they had a third after the break when Mohamed Salah had the ball in the net but the effort was ruled out by referee Cuneyt Cakır who correctly ruled that Sturridge had fouled Areola when the pair scrapped for a loose ball.
Even at 2-1 Liverpool looked comfortably in charge but with seven minutes to go, Salah carelessly gave the ball away. Neymar ran towards the home defence and the ball fell to the 19-year-old Mbappe who drove home with supreme confidence.
Agencies
