Europa League - Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund (5-4 on aggregate): 5 talking points
Liverpool produced a stunning fightback on a memorable night at Anfield as a four-goal blitz in the second half secured a berth in the semi-finals of the Europa League at the expense of high-flying Borussia Dortmund.
The Yellow Brigade raced to a 2-0 lead inside 10 minutes of the game to kill the tie effectively, but the game burst into life in a frantic second half that saw the Reds roar back in stupendous fashion.
Goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put Dortmund in the driver’s seat for a place in the last 4, whilst Divock Origi pulled one for the hosts early in the second half to provide a glimmer of hope.
However, it was dashed just minutes later when Marco Reus struck to make it 3-1 in the visitor’s favour, but Liverpool were not to be cowed down by it.
Two goals in the space of 11 minutes brought the tie on a knife’s edge as Philippe Coutinho and Mamadou Sakho each scored and levelled the terms. Dortmund were still progressing on away goals, but Dejan Lovren broke Dortmund’s hearts with an injury-time header that propelled the Merseysiders into the semi-finals.
Here are the major talking points from an enthralling affair at Anfield.
1) A tale of a European classic
Liverpool against Borussia Dortmund was always going to be an intriguing match-up. Two sides currently in transition, thriving under their new managers, were going head-to-head in a competition which was their only hope of a silverware this season.
Having cancelled each other out in the 1-1 draw in the first leg, the sides were expected to set the cat among the pigeons in search of progression, and that’s exactly what transpired.
Whilst Dortmund flew out of traps early on and raced to a 2-goal advantage within the first 10 minutes of the game, Liverpool crawled their way back into the game after some regrouping at half-time. The tie seemed all but over with Der BVB comfortably ahead in the game and on aggregate, but the Reds refused to throw in the towel and fought back valiantly.
Four goals in the second stanza turned the match on its head as Anfield erupted in euphoria and oversaw an absolute European classic.