Liverpool take off in Champions League towards Ajax after Joel Matip’s last-gasp winner, however defensive issues stay

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Liverpool take off in Champions League towards Ajax after Joel Matip’s last-gasp winner, however defensive issues stay
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LIVERPOOL, England — Joel Matip scored a late aim for Liverpool to safe a win towards Ajax in Group A of the Champions League on Matchday 2.

Jurgen Klopp’s facet began the sport properly, then fizzled out earlier than their perseverance paid off proper earlier than added time when the central defender headed to place his facet in entrance.

– Report: Liverpool 2-1 Ajax | Premier League table | Upcoming fixtures

That is Ajax’s first defeat of the season, whereas Liverpool are again to profitable methods after a tricky begin to the season each within the Premier League and Europe.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Post-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Fast Response

Liverpool are rewarded for his or her perseverance

Jurgen Klopp described Liverpool’s 4-1 defeat at Napoli final week because the worst recreation of his seven-year tenure and the Reds responded with an improved show towards Ajax, in the end rewarded for his or her perseverance in a 2-1 win. Liverpool deserved the Seventeenth-minute lead given to them by Mohamed Salah’s fifteenth Champions League aim at Anfield — surpassing Steven Gerrard’s document — and will simply have been additional forward by the point Ajax struck again.

Mohammed Kudus took his aim fantastically towards the run of play and Liverpool palpably misplaced confidence thereafter. But regardless of not being at their riproaring greatest, the house facet saved plugging away and located the breakthrough a minute from time as Joel Matip headed residence Kostas Tsimikas’ nook. Klopp seemed extra relieved than ebullient at affirmation the ball had crossed the road. That is solely Liverpool’s fourth win from 9 matches throughout all competitions however it’ll really feel like an enormous step in the correct course.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)

Matip capitalises the place Van Dijk could not

Liverpool ended this recreation with 23 pictures however the highest particular person quantity got here from an unlikely supply: Virgil van Dijk. Ajax’s vulnerability from set-pieces — or actually any excessive ball into the field — was apparent and the Liverpool centre-back by no means had a greater likelihood than when left unmarked from Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s Thirty fifth-minute supply.

He compelled Remko Pasveer right into a advantageous save and labored the Ajax goalkeeper once more two minutes earlier than the interval when assembly Tsimikas’ supply from the other facet. Van Dijk had 4 efforts in all — nevertheless it was Matip who got here good — after lacking an earlier likelihood of his personal — beating Pasveer for his third Champions League aim and first since December 2013 for Schalke. It was additionally his first match-winning aim since becoming a member of Liverpool in 2016.

A way of déjà vu about Liverpool’s defensive weaknesses

The cancellation of final weekend’s Premier League fixtures as a result of passing of Queen Elizabeth II might have given Liverpool extra time to work on their defending however the aim they conceded right here had a definite sense of déjà vu and a failure to be taught from previous errors. Not for the primary time this season, Alexander-Arnold was discovered wanting. Steven Berghuis drifted in behind him to tug the ball again the place Kudus was given time to show and unleash an excellent effort which crashed in off Alisson‘s crossbar.

The aim bore marked similarities to Jadon Sancho‘s opener when Manchester United beat Liverpool 2-1 final month; after one other foray down Liverpool’s proper, the United winger obtained the ball within the field and had an age to search out the online. Liverpool in the end obtained themselves over the road however the sample of vulnerability is not going to have gone unnoticed by their rivals. With no recreation now till October 1, Klopp could have a lot to time to ponder a greater approach to remedy it.

Participant scores

Liverpool: Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 6, Matip 7, Van Dijk 6, Tsimikas 7, Elliott 6, Fabinho 6, Thiago 7, Salah 7, Jota 7, Diaz 7.
Subs: Nunez 6, Firmino 6, Milner 6, Bajcetic 6.

Ajax: Pasveer 7, Rensch 7, Timber 7, Bassey 7, Blind 7, Alvarez 7, Taylor 7, Tadic 7, Berghuis 7, Bergwijn 6, Kudus 7.
Subs: Sanchez 6, Grillitsch 6, Brobbey 6.

Greatest and worst performers

BEST: Thiago. He used the ball intelligently and helped Liverpool keep strain on Ajax throughout their greatest spells within the recreation.

WORST: Elliott. The 19-year-old has been one in every of Liverpool’s higher performers this season however he struggled to make a significant affect right here and was substituted as Liverpool chased a winner.

Highlights and notable moments

Mo Salah is now 4 targets away from being the best scoring African participant within the historical past of the Champions League.

The 22-year-old Ghanaian scored again to again targets for Ajax within the Champions League for the primary time in his profession.

Matip offered the late drama at Anfield.

After the match: What the managers, gamers stated

Quotes to return…

Key Stats (offered by ESPN Stats & Data)

– Mohamed Salah ends a 7-game scoring drought within the Champions League, the longest of his profession.

– Mohammed Kudus has scored 5 targets in his final 4 video games for Ajax.

– Joel Matip’s third profession UCL aim and first since 2013-14 with Schalke. That is his first game-winning aim since becoming a member of Liverpool.

Up subsequent

Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp’s facet are off to a sluggish begin in each the Premier League and Champions League this season, and have a tricky set of matches forward, regardless of their subsequent recreation towards Chelsea being postponed. The Reds will face Brighton at residence on Oct. 1 within the Prem, adopted by their subsequent Champions League match towards Rangers on Oct. 4, after which a go to to the Emirates on Oct. 9 to face Arsenal, who’re high of the desk.

Ajax: The Dutch facet are off to a profitable marketing campaign within the Eredivisie and in Europe, with no scarcity of targets. They will face fourth place Alkmaar on Sept. 18, then struggling facet Go Forward Eagles on Oct. 1, adopted by a house recreation towards a fired up Napoli facet within the Champions League



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