Liverpool managed to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals despite losing 0-1 to Inter Milan at Anfield Stadium, Tuesday (8/3).
The Reds are entitled to advance to the quarter-finals thanks to a 2-1 aggregate advantage as they won 2-0 in the first leg of the last 16 at the San Siro.
Inter, who tried to catch up with the two-goal deficit due to a 0-2 defeat in the first leg, were actually able to control the game in the first half.
Unfortunately, the resulting two on target failed to create goal. Denzel Dumfries’ shot from outside the penalty area and Hakan Calhanoglu’s free kick could still be saved by Alisson Becker.
Liverpool is not without opportunities. In the 30th minute Joel Matip managed to meet Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner kick with a header. Unfortunately, the ball still hit the crossbar.
The duel was fierce in the second half. Especially after Inter managed to lead 1-0 thanks to Lautaro Martinez’s hard kick which was lodged in the right corner of Alisson’s goal.
Two minutes later, Inter had to play with 10 men because Alexis Sanchez received a second yellow card. The referee sent off Sanchez for violating Thiago.
Liverpool almost shook the Inter goal in the 77th minute through the action of Mohamed Salah. However, Egypt’s international star shot still hit the post.
Lack of players makes the game change. Liverpool put more pressure on the Inter defense but no additional goals were created.
Inter managed to win 1-0 at Anfield. However, Liverpool are entitled to qualify for the quarter-finals via 2-1 aggregate armed with a 2-0 win in the first leg.
Jurgen Klopp comment after the match:
“The difficulty we experienced was close to what I imagined. Inter are a very, very good team, ready for this kind of game. Without playing brilliantly we had clear chances.
In two legs, it’s okay if they win one and we go through. We could have done better against an opponent who makes life uncomfortable.
It was a very interesting match. In the end we lost a game that was obviously not cool, we don’t want to lose at home.
Again, (too) respect for the opponent caused us a lot of problems. If we take our chances tonight then we win this game. We didn’t do it, but we qualified, and that’s the main target.
You have to move a lot against a team like Inter, and pass a lot. We did, but maybe not enough. We’re not smart enough.
Then in the challenge we weren’t strong enough. We lost a lot of simple balls, which can happen. The counter-press isn’t really there. We didn’t gain momentum, that’s what we lacked tonight.”
