Porto 0-5 Liverpool: European masterclass from LFC as Sadio Mane grabs a hat-trick

Champions League Last 16 1st Leg
Wednesday 14 February 2018 - 7:45 pm
Estadio do Dragao, Porto
Porto0
5Liverpool
Show Match Events
25'Mane ⚽️
29'Salah ⚽️
Otávio off, Corona on ↔️45'
53'Mane ⚽️
Brahimi off, Waris on ↔️62'
70'Firmino ⚽️
75'↔️ Henderson off, Matip on
Soares off, Paciência on ↔️76'
79'↔️ Alexander-Arnold off, Gomez on
79'↔️ Firmino off, Ings on
85'Mane ⚽️
Possession %
4456
Total Shots
814
Shots on Target
36
Shots Blocked
22
Offside
3
Hide Match Events

Liverpool destroyed the Portugese champions with a huge 5-0 victory away from home, in LFC's first Champions League knockout game in 9 years.

It was Valentines Day to savour as the reds kept up their winning momentum in their bright orange shirts.

The front three clicked into action with all of them getting on the scoresheet but with Sadio Mane, in a return to form, opening and finishing the scoring on the night.

After the game he said the third was his favourite of the bunch, but amongst his hat-trick, lets not forget that Mo Salah scored his 30th goal of the season - only the 13th player in LFC history to reach that in a season - and it's still February.

Team News

Amongst the rain in Portugal, there were three changes for the Liverpool side.  Jordan Henderson, as expected, replaced the suspended Emre Can.  James Milner was in for Oxlade-Chamberlain, and at the back Dejan Lovren came in to replace Joel Matip.

Porto started brightly, Liverpool started in cagey fashion.

But mid-way through the half, Liverpool put themselves ahead.  Sadio Mane, after initially choosing the wrong pass,  collected the pass and fired straight into the net.

Four minutes later Liverpool compounded on the Porto shock.  James Milner's shot rebounded off the post and the Egyptian King was there, waiting to pounce. Mo Salah did a couple of keepy ups on his foot and head before bunding the ball in to score his 30th goal in 36 Liverpool appearances.

Rerun the live blog: Porto 0-5 Liverpool

No let up in the second half.

Mane scored his second in the 53rd minute.  He was quickest to react to the rebound after Firmino's shot was saved.

But Bobby Firmino got the goal he deserved shortly after, and with a suitably dramatic celebration afterwards, he scored Liverpool's 4th.

He was fed a cut back cross from Milner on the left wing.

The talented Brazilian was subbed off late on, and Sadio Mane appeared to have missed his glorious hat-trick chance as the time ebbed away.  He fired over from a Robertson cross.

But he wanted that third badly, and he launched a 25 yard strike into the top corner with 5 minutes left to allow him to take the match ball home.

A training camp next for Liverpool who sadly aren't in FA Cup action this week - but they look almost certainly like they are heading into the last 8 of European football's premier competition.

Wonderful stuff from the reds (sorry, the oranges).

MOTM: Sadio Mane.

One comment on
Porto 0-5 Liverpool: European masterclass from LFC as Sadio Mane grabs a hat-trick

  1. Finally our defence looked a bit more organised. James Milners grit was a good thing. Have we turned a corner? Our next game after training camp should tell if anything’s been learnt. Waddyareckon

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