Liverpool: A few days ago, a top official of Roma had said that when Liverpool were buying Mo Salah, they had complained of the steep price of 39 million pounds. Well after the display of the Egyptian in the first leg semifinal of the Champions League against Roma at the Anfield here, Tuesday night, Liverpool would certainly consider it a ‘steal’.
Salah scored two goals, provided two assists for Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino to make it 4-0 before the last named added another to make the scoreline 5-0. It was only after Jurgen Klopp substituted Salah that the Reds lost some of their sting upfront.
Roma took this chance and came storming back through goals from Edin Dzeko and Diego Perotti (penalty) to reduce the margin to 2-5. It will certainly give them some hope as they had scripted a dream comeback against Barcelona when they had turned the quarterfinal on its head with after being 1-4 down. But then miracles do not happen every day.
However, all those paled into insignificance after the show put up by ‘Magical Mo’. He was simply superb and his runs had the usually stable Roma defence completely turn unstable. He scored the first with an inch-perfect magical chip that beat Roma custodian Alisson Becker hands down to his right.
The Egyptian made it 2-0 with his 43rd goal of the season when Firmino sent him clear. With Alisson advancing Salah beat the Brazilian with a deft chip that was straight out of the repertoire of former Liverpool great Kenny Dalglish.
Liverpool took full advantage of some awful Roma defending in the second period. Mane was rewarded for his persistence in the 56th minute, sliding a low finish into the net after the unstoppable Salah had broken down the right and put the ball on a plate for his teammate.
Salah then danced past Juan Jesus and played a similar low cross into the path of Firmino, who made no mistake to make it 4-0. He made it 5-0 in the 68th minute when the shell-shocked Roma defence left him unmarked at a corner and he headed in.
Bosnian Dzeko pulled a goal back for Roma nine minutes from the end after he collected a wonderful floated pass from Radja Nainggolan and drove past Loris Karius. Later substitute Perotti slotted home a penalty after James Milner was ruled to have handled in the area.
If Roma’s defence struggle half as much at the Stadio Olimpico, Liverpool will surely be heading to Kiev for the final May 26 to face Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.
reuters
