Germany international Can netted his first goals of the new season Liverpool produced a stun attack display against play-off opponents Hoffenheim to ensure five English sides will compete in the Champions League group degree for the first meter. Leading 2-1 from the first leg, the Reds virtually wrapped up the tie with three goals in the open 20 minutes.
Emre Can ‘s deflected shoot put them ahead before Mohamed Salah reacted quickest to slot in a rally off the mail. Can stroked in Roberto Firmino ‘s cross at the back post good 143 seconds late before Hoffenheim stand-in Mark Uth, introduced after 24 minutes in a tactical reshuffle, pulled one back. Former Hoffenheim forward Firmino put the tie beyond doubt after the break, sliding the ball into the buttocks corner after Jordan Henderson dispossessed opposing captain Kevin Vogt before unselfishly square. The german side, who finished one-fourth in the Bundesliga survive season, did not lose their heart and pulled another back when Sandro Wagner headed in Andrej Kramaric ‘s leftist cross. The Reds, along with Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City and Manchester United will discover their group-stage opponents when the Champions League draw is made on Thursday ( 17:00 BST ) .
Rapid start eases Reds’ path back into Champions League
Liverpool put themselves in a potent stead to reach the Champions League group stage – for entirely the second clock in eight seasons – after holding off a late Hoffenheim rally in last workweek ‘s beginning leg. Hoffenheim ‘s 30-year-old director Julian Nagelsmann insisted before the refund leg that his team were “ not in awe ” of playing at Anfield. Their performance in the open 20 minutes suggested differently. The Reds – again missing Barcelona target Philippe Coutinho through illness – attacked from the whistle, unnerving the visitors with the energy and movement of forward trio Firmino, Sadio Mane and Salah. That promising start gave optimism to the home fans and any hover nerves around Anfield were cursorily settled within 10 minutes when Can – with a slice of fortune – put them ahead .
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp led previous club Borussia Dortmund into four Champions League campaigns Liverpool continued to surge forward and, following a couple of warning signs from the visitors on the counter, left Hoffenheim needing to score three times when Salah sedately converted his first Reds goal at Anfield by pouncing on Georginio Wijnaldum ‘s attempt off the post. still Jurgen Klopp ‘s men refused to sit back and, within three minutes, added the third gear. Firmino started the motion inside his own half, playing the ball up to Mane before racing down the bequeath flank to collect the render ball and dink to Can at the army for the liberation of rwanda post. That sparked frenzied celebrations from Klopp, who repeatedly punched the air in enchant as he closed in on his own tax return to the Champions League. The german, who led Borussia Dortmund to the 2013 concluding, demanded his side continue to attack after the break, Firmino sealing victory with a amply merited goal. however, the comfort with which Wagner rose to head in Hoffenheim ‘s second, highlighting the defensive vulnerability that continues to dog Liverpool, may have given Klopp causal agent for business in an otherwise brilliant night .
Real? Barca? Dortmund? British sides focus on draw
After completing the job against Hoffenheim, Liverpool can now start thinking about which of Europe ‘s top sides they might face in the group degree. none of the english teams can be drawn against each other as sides from the lapp state are kept separate, although one of them could be drawn against scottish champions Celtic. Liverpool, placed in pot three, could be drawn against holders real Madrid or italian champions Juventus from pot one, while pot two contains five-time european champions Barcelona, big-spending french side Paris St-Germain and Klopp ‘s old charges Borussia Dortmund. England has only provided two Champions League semi-finalists in the past five campaigns and a poor show in continental competitions this season could see the Premier League lose its fourth spot in the leading club contest to Italy. With co-efficient points awarded for reaching the group degree, Liverpool ‘s passing will help boost England ‘s european ambitions arsenic well as their own. You can follow live coverage of the string on the BBC Sport web site from 17:00 BST on Friday .
‘Hoffenheim was the most difficult draw’ – post-match reaction
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: “ We wanted a fast start and we have fulfilled our dream. It was fantastic. “ Playing Hoffenheim was the most difficult draw, aboard Napoli – we had two unbelievably hard games. We learned from the first gear game and adapted to a little change when they changed from five at the back to four at the bet on. ” Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson: “ It has been a brainy night – the atmosphere was bright all night and we were brilliant at the start and set the tempo. “ We let in a pair of goals so we have calm got things to work on but overall we ‘re delighted to get back into the Champions League where Liverpool belong to. “ now we have got to do ourselves department of justice and win some games there. “ We ‘re in there and we ‘ve proved we can play against big teams. We ‘re happy to play against whoever we ‘re drawn against. ”
Man of the match – Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Mane is rapidly becoming the main man at Anfield. The Senegal attacker impressed again with his blistering bursts forward and workrate in tracking back to help his team-mates. The only thing missing from his performance was a goal.
Rampant Reds enjoying Europe – the stats
- Liverpool have returned to the Champions League group stages for the beginning time since the 2014-15 political campaign .
- The Reds have never been eliminated from Europe having won a first leg aside from home .
- Liverpool have scored three or more goals in consecutive european home games for the first gear time since March 1997 .
- The Reds have now won six consecutive european games at Anfield against german opposition .
- Jurgen Klopp has overseen seven european games as Liverpool director at Anfield, with the Reds winning each of the past six – their best run since November 2010 .
- Emre Can scored doubly in a game for the first meter in his professional career .
- Sadio Mane has been directly involved in 15 goals in his 17 appearances at Anfield for Liverpool, scoring 10 goals and providing five assists .
- Mark Uth ‘s mint was the first goal Simon Mignolet had conceded at Anfield in 313 minutes .
What’s next?
binding to the Premier League for Liverpool – and it is a bad one. The Reds, who are unbeaten in their first two games after drawing at Watford and beating Crystal Palace, host Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday ( 16:00 BST ) .
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Liverpool
formation 4-3-3
22
Mignolet
66
Alexander-Arnold
32
Matip
6
Lovren
18
Moreno
23
Can
14
Henderson
5
Wijnaldum
11
Salah
9
Firmino
19
Mané
- 22
Mignolet
- 66
Alexander-Arnold
Substituted for
Gomez
at
65′
minutes
- 32
Matip
- 6
Lovren
- 18
Moreno
- 23
Can
Substituted for
Milner
at
70′
minutes
- 14
Henderson
Booked at 45mins
- 5
Wijnaldum
- 11
Salah
- 9
Firmino
- 19
Mané
Substituted for
Klavan
at
88′
minutes
Substitutes
- 1
Karius
- 7
Milner
- 12
Gomez
- 15
Sturridge
- 17
Klavan
- 26
Robertson
- 29
Solanke
Hoffenheim
formation 3-4-2-1
1
Baumann
6
Nordtveit
22
Vogt
21
Hübner
3
Kaderábek
32
Geiger
10
Demirbay
17
Zuber
29
Gnabry
27
Kramaric
14
Wagner
- 1
Baumann
- 6
Nordtveit
Substituted for
Uth
at
24′
minutes
- 22
Vogt
Booked at 51mins
- 21
Hübner
Booked at 90mins
- 3
Kaderábek
Booked at 37mins
Substituted for
Toljan
at
64′
minutes
- 32
Geiger
Booked at 30mins
- 10
Demirbay
- 17
Zuber
- 29
Gnabry
Substituted for
Szalai
at
56′
minutes
- 27
Kramaric
- 14
Wagner
Substitutes
- 4
Bicakcic
- 7
Rupp
- 8
Polanski
- 15
Toljan
- 19
Uth
- 28
Szalai
- 36
Kobel
- Referee:
- Daniele Orsato
- Attendance:
- 51,808
Match Stats
Live Text
-
Post update
Match ends, Liverpool 4, 1899 Hoffenheim 2 .
-
Full Time
second Half ends, Liverpool 4, 1899 Hoffenheim 2 .
-
Post update
Corner, 1899 Hoffenheim. Conceded by Joseph Gomez .
-
Booking
Benjamin Hübner ( 1899 Hoffenheim ) is shown the yellow card .
-
Post update
Foul by Benjamin Hübner ( 1899 Hoffenheim ) .
-
Post update
Mohamed Salah ( Liverpool ) wins a free kick on the right wing .
-
Substitution
substitution, Liverpool. Ragnar Klavan replaces Sadio Mané .
-
Post update
attack missed. Roberto Firmino ( Liverpool ) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the proper. Assisted by Georginio Wijnaldum .
-
Post update
attempt missed. Alberto Moreno ( Liverpool ) left footed shot from outside the box is besides high. Assisted by Dejan Lovren .
-
Post update
Foul by Benjamin Hübner ( 1899 Hoffenheim ) .
-
Post update
Georginio Wijnaldum ( Liverpool ) wins a loose complain in the assaultive half .
Goal!
goal ! Liverpool 4, 1899 Hoffenheim 2. Sandro Wagner ( 1899 Hoffenheim ) header from the center of the box to the buttocks left corner. Assisted by Andrej Kramaric with a hybrid .
-
Post update
Attempt saved. Kerem Demirbay ( 1899 Hoffenheim ) left footed shoot from outside the box is saved in the center of the finish. Assisted by Sandro Wagner .
-
Post update
offside, 1899 Hoffenheim. Benjamin Hübner tries a through ball, but Mark Uth is caught offside .
-
Post update
Hand ball by Mark Uth ( 1899 Hoffenheim ) .
-
Post update
Foul by Dennis Geiger ( 1899 Hoffenheim ) .
-
Post update
Roberto Firmino ( Liverpool ) wins a free kick in the defensive half .
-
Post update
attempt blocked. Mark Uth ( 1899 Hoffenheim ) left footed photograph from outside the box is blocked .
-
Post update
delay over. They are ready to continue .
-
Post update
Delay in peer Kerem Demirbay ( 1899 Hoffenheim ) because of an injury .
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