Mohamed Salah once again stole the headlines as Liverpool beat AS Roma 5-2 in a magnificent UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg at Anfield on Tuesday night.
The game got off to a lively start, with both sides exchanging efforts on target, although both Loris Karius and Alisson were equal to the tasks.
Sixteen minutes into the clash, the Reds were forced into an early change when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was taken off after a clash with Aleksander Kolarov.
Kolarov went agonisingly close to putting Roma ahead two minutes later when his long-range effort crashed against the crossbar with Karius well beaten.
The Reds squandered a glorious chance to take the lead on 28 minutes when Sadio Mane raced clear on goal but the Senegalese somehow fired over the crossbar with only Alisson to beat.
Liverpool’s dominance eventually paid off in the 37th minute when Mohamed Salah curled home a brilliant effort from 16-yards out, 1-0.
The lead was doubled on the stroke of half-time as Salah bagged his second goal by poking the ball beyond the on-rushing Alisson, 2-0.
Ten minutes into the second half, Liverpool scored their third goal when Salah played Mane through on goal with a clever pass and he produced a clinical finish from just inside the box, 3-0.
Just after the hour mark, Salah was at the heart of the action again, this time creating space for Firmino, who tapped the ball into an empty net, 4-0.
The icing on the cake for Liverpool was their fifth goal in the 70th minute when Firmino headed home a James Milner corner-kick, 5-0.
Roma eventually put up a fight, though, and managed to pull a goal back in the 81st minute when Edin Dzeko latched onto a lofted pass from Radja Nainggolan inside the box and showed great control before firing beyond the keeper, 5-1.
Five minutes later, the visitors pulled a second goal back with Diego Perotti converting from the penalty spot after Milner handled the ball inside the box, 5-2.
The second leg of the semi-final will take place next week Wednesday, May 2 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
(Soccer Laduma)
