Liverpool have returned to winning ways and got their Champions League Group A campaign up and running courtesy of a late 2-1 victory over Ajax at Anfield this evening.
Joel Matip rose to head home an 89th-minute winner as Liverpool finally made the most of their aerial dominance, with the goal being confirmed by the goalline technology to send Anfield wild.
Ajax had looked on course for a point after Mohammed Kudus's thunderous strike had cancelled out Mohamed Salah's opener, but the out-of-form hosts were ultimately worthy of a much-needed victory to move level with their opponents and Napoli at the top of the group.
© Reuters
Jurgen Klopp's side went into the contest off the back of their humiliating 4-1 defeat to Napoli on matchday one - a performance the German boss described as the worst of his seven-year Anfield tenure.
Postponements caused by the death of The Queen meant that this was Liverpool's first chance to respond since their nightmare in Naples, and they produced a much-improved performance to blow Group A open.
The Reds dominated proceedings in the first half and deservedly took the lead after 17 minutes when Salah ended his longest-ever Champions League drought of seven games, tucking an accomplished finish into the near post after being played through by Diogo Jota - the first goal Ajax had conceded since August 14.
Luis Diaz, Jota and Salah all came close within three minutes of each other as a revitalised Liverpool pushed for a second, only to be hit by a rare Ajax attack.
The visitors pieced together a 26-pass move, but still needed a helping hand from some more shoddy Liverpool defending as they sliced through the backline all too easily before Kudus picked up the ball inside the area and unleashed an unstoppable strike in off the underside of the crossbar.
© Reuters
Klopp's men quickly regained control of the game, and threats were coming from all over the field with Trent Alexander-Arnold coming close with a long-ranger before drawing a double-save from the keeper, while Virgil van Dijk's presence at set pieces was causing all sorts of problems.
Almost every set piece seemed to lead to a headed Liverpool chance, with Matip also getting in on the act even before his dramatic late winner.
While that ultimately came back to bite Ajax, the visitors did have a huge chance of their own to grab a winner 15 minutes from time when former Manchester United man Daley Blind planted a header narrowly wide of the far post.
Liverpool's chances arrived far more frequently, though, and substitute Darwin Nunez wasted a big one of his own before Salah's deflected shot looped over the keeper and clipped the outside of the post on its way behind for the corner which provided the winner.
That's HUGE for Liverpool! 🔴
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) September 13, 2022
Joël Matip powers home a header and the Reds are minutes away from a vital win 🙏#UCL pic.twitter.com/IgHjmy2FH3
Matip - one of the hosts' standout performers on his return to the starting XI - planted the winner over the line despite the best efforts of Ajax's defenders, his first Champions League goal for nine years.
It was also a goal which sees Liverpool pick up their first win of September in what will be their last game of the month after this weekend's game against Chelsea was postponed.
Klopp's men will now not be back in action until hosting Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on October 1.
Tonight's result means that three teams are now level on three points at the top of Group A, although that could change tomorrow when Napoli visit Rangers in their delayed tie.
No Data Analysis info
