Liverpool Close On Champions League Progress As Salah Seals Girona Win

After Mohamed Salah fired a penalty from the spot in the opening half of the Champions League group match, Liverpool’s tight 1-0 victory at Girona on Tuesday almost secured their place in the last 16.

Under the guidance of Arne Slot, Liverpool have had a spectacular start to the season, winning six of their matches and moving five points clear of Inter Milan.

The English giants, six-time winners of the competition, were given a tough night by Champions League debutants Girona, who fell to a fifth defeat and are on the verge of elimination.

Top eight teams will be spared from additional round of play-off games.

“If you ask me about all six games, I’m really pleased with all the results… (but) I’m far from pleased about the performance tonight”, Slot told reporters.

“(We had) hardly any control at all over the game, maybe the second half was a bit better but then I’m trying to be positive”.

Alisson Becker, the Brazilian’s fit-again goalkeeper, returned from a two-month injury layoff, and he displayed no signs of rust on a busy night.

After a storm at the weekend caused their Merseyside derby against Everton to be postponed, Slot chose a new team and chose arguably his strongest team to ensure a top eight finish as soon as possible.

With the assistance of spritely duo Bryan Gil and Yaser Asprilla, newcomers Girona, who lost a number of important players over the summer and are still rebuilding, chose Arnaut Danjuma to lead the attack.

In the opening ten minutes, Girona stopper Paulo Gazzaniga curled a Joe Gomez header. Liverpool held the hosts to a goal in the closing seconds.

After that Michel Sanchez’s Girona found their footing on a chilly night at their sold-out Montilivi stadium, reduced to under 10, 000 capacity due to UEFA regulations, and they began to put Alisson to the test.

Alisson sharp on return

Former Tottenham winger Gil slipped as he ran through on Liverpool’s goal after being saved from Alejandro Frances.

Alisson also deflected a Miguel Gutierrez drive as Real Madrid’s spirit shined through in the season that ended Real Madrid’s title defense.

The players may have wanted to see how physically fit he actually was, so they gave him a lot of work, jokingly said Slot.

“Alisson has been so important for this club for so many years, and showed today he is one of the best, the best in my opinion, goalkeeper in the world”.

Darwin Nunez spurned Liverpool’s first big chance after Salah slipped him in, with Gazzaniga keeping out the Uruguayan striker’s low poke.

Former Bournemouth forward Danjuma ran Alisson another test in the opening half of the second half.

The Dutchman then cleverly dribbled over to give Liverpool’s defense the slip as Slot’s prediction that Girona were better than the standings suggested was proved to be accurate.

The Premier League leaders took the lead with a controversial penalty won by Luis Diaz despite their valiant efforts. However, the Liverpool juggernaut is proving difficult to stop.

Donny van de Beek challenged the Colombian winger, and the referee then directed the player to the spot, much to the home side’s dismay.

Gazzaniga equals with Filippo Inzaghi as the 10th-highest goalscorer of all time with his 50th Champions League goal when Salah sent him the wrong way.

Although the winger’s contract expires at the end of the season, his 16 goals in every competition contributed to Liverpool’s fantastic first half.

As their Champions League dream comes to an end, Girona were deflated after conceding and unable to make any further inroads as the wasteful Nunez was replaced by Cody Gakpo.

“They deserve so much more than the three points they have in this Champions League campaign,” said Slot, “and I almost feel sorry for them.”

Sanchez, the coach of Girona, thanked the Liverpool coach for the praise his team received and expressed his pride in the end of the game.

“I’m very proud of the players ‘ performance”, said Sanchez.

Source: Channels TV