Liverpool had a decent first match in Spain against Villareal, however the end result didn't reflect that. A few lapse moments was all the game required for the home team in the first leg to take advantage. Villareal scored a late goal and celebrated like they had just won the Champions League. While the team and manager said it would not affect their play, it certainly rubbed fans the wrong way a bit.
Liverpool were forced to score at least one without conceding to get things back into their own hands. Playing in front of their home crowd, they did not disappoint and they did not sit back and let the game play out.
The Reds came storming out of the dressing room and looked poised to dominate right away. The opening five minutes went scoreless, but Liverpool looked more like the team wanting to win as opposed to Villareal appearing to want to defend and attempt to see things out. Despite an early chance, that was neatly parried away by Simon Mignolet, It did not play well for them.
Liverpool got the goal they wanted and needed in the seventh minute of play. Emre Can, thought to be lost for the season, slotted a ball to the right, which was crossed far side to the left by Nathaniel Clyne.
Firmino received the ball after a quick parry by the goalkeeper and tried to return the favor but it got deflected again in front. Daniel Sturridge got a tip to it, it went off the defender and in and the two legs were all square with tons of time remaining. It wasn't how you draw it up on the training ground, but it didn't matter.
The Reds didn't just settle for that goal either. Instead of swiping their hands together and saying "Job done boys, let's play for penalties," they kept at it. Adam Lallana nearly flicked a pass from James Milner into the goal in the 14th minute, just slicing wide of the far side post.
Liverpool actually looked good attacking corner kicks offensively as well. Fans could only hope that these positives were going to pay off eventually and not have to see any extra time.
The Spaniards wouldn't go away quietly though. Despite the Reds having most of the first half possession, Villareal counterpunched now and then. Again a little bit of sleepiness on the backend gave Bakambu a chance at goal right before the halftime whistle, but Mignolet was not overly troubled and kept the goose egg on the board through 45 minutes.
Things didn't open up quite as nicely in the second half. Liverpool still enjoyed much of the ball, but Villareal defended much more cohesively and compactly. They also countered better as well, throwing some fear into Reds fans every now and then for the opening 15 minutes or so.
Questions were beginning to build whether Benteke might come on and if so if it would be for Sturridge. Thankfully the trigger was not pulled too early. In the 63rd minute Sturridge put Liverpool up 2-0 in the game. Again, the ball took a few fortunate bounces, but the Reds never gave up on it and it eventually came to their striker who was just onside. He knocked it in off the goalkeeper's hand, both posts and eventually in, but they all count once they cross that line.
Villareal came off the tracks a little after that as well. Victor Ruiz picked up his second yellow card in the 72nd minute, giving Liverpool a dangerous free kick from about 20 yards out. It wouldn't amount to much, but the man advantage would pay off a little later for the Reds.
Pushing for that insurance goal, Liverpool kept trying to find the space to no avail. Then a bit of brilliance. Firmino took the defender all the way to the end line and then chipped a little ball back into the area. Sturridge got a touch on it, but it was mostly a mishit. Nevertheless, Lallana got the final flick past the goalkeeper from a seemingly offside position.
The goal counted however, giving Liverpool a 3-0 lead on the night and a 3-1 lead overall. In addition to Firmino's skill on the ball, his movements ultimately led to the goal. Causing the defender to slide on the end line kept everyone else in an onside position because you cannot create offside positions by leaving the pitch.
Whether he intended it or not, it worked out just the same and Liverpool seemed destined for a Europa League Final against Sevilla. Sturridge almost got a second but shot too close to the goalkeeper and Joe Allen couldn't quite get to the rebound cleanly.
In the end, when the final whistle went, Liverpool were victorious. Regardless of how you felt they played on the road, good or bad, unlucky or sloppy at the end, it paid off in the second leg. Jurgen Klopp rallied his troops and the Anfield faithful as he has time and time again despite their overall faults.
Now, Liverpool have it all to play for. A finals matchup with reigning champion Sevilla in Basel, Switzerland. Europa League is a competition that everyone shrugs off for the majority of the year, but now it means everything. The league position is untennable and Champions League can only be attained through this one game. As poorly as things have gone from the overall sense for this team, they could still have built a winning spirit and have that carrot to dangle in the summer window to prospective players.
Random Thoughts:
- Much is made of Sturridge's comments about not staying at Anfield the rest of his career. As a fan, this disappoints me, but it's the way sports are today. Anyone who takes the grand scope into picture knows this and while it's a bit of a punch to the gut to think your club isn't regarded as the highest level by someone, it just is the way athletes think.
- On the same token, Liverpool may still be Sturridge's best option. He's not often healthy and is very streaky even for a goal scorer. He might drive the price up with a furious finish to the season and in the Europa Final, but there may not be as many suitors as he believes.
- This team continues to be an enigma. If they win the final, you could almost make a case that massive changes are not needed since Klopp got the current group to play so well. In the larger picture though, he's squeezing every drop from the peel. Changes are still needed, but imagine the possibilities if you can actually promise Champions League football to prospective players instead of just the opportunity to come to England and play for an historic club.
Walk On
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