Liverpool take off in Champions League in direction of Ajax after Joel Matip's final-gasp winner, however defensive factors stay

Devyy Post September 13, 2022

LIVERPOOL, England — Joel Matip scored a late purpose for Liverpool to safe a win in direction of Ajax in Group A of the Champions League on Matchday 2.

Jurgen Klopp’s facet started the sport properly, then fizzled out earlier than their perseverance paid off proper earlier than added time when the central defender headed to place his facet in entrance.

– Report: Liverpool 2-1 Ajax | Premier League desk | Upcoming fixtures

that is Ajax’s first defeat of the season, whereas Liverpool are again to worthwhile methods after a tough start to the season each inside the Premier League and Europe.

bounce TO: participant scores | best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | submit-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

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Liverpool are rewarded for his or her perseverance

Jurgen Klopp described Liverpool’s 4-1 defeat at Napoli final week as a end result of the worst recreation of his seven-yr tenure and the Reds responded with an improved current in direction of Ajax, finally rewarded for his or her perseverance in a 2-1 win. Liverpool deserved the seventeenth-minute lead given to them by Mohamed Salah’s fifteenth Champions League purpose at Anfield — surpassing Steven Gerrard’s doc — and will simply have been further forward by the purpose Ajax struck again.

Mohammed Kudus took his purpose fantastically in direction of the run of play and Liverpool palpably misplaced confidence thereafter. but regardless of not being at their riproaring best, the dwelling facet saved plugging away and located the breakthrough a minute from time as Joel Matip headed dwelling Kostas Tsimikas’ nook. Klopp regarded extra relieved than ebullient at affirmation the ball had crossed the avenue. that is solely Liverpool’s fourth win from 9 matches throughout all competitions however it can really feel like an enormous step inside the proper route.

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Matip capitalises the place Van Dijk might not

Liverpool ended this recreation with 23 pictures nonetheless the best particular person quantity obtained here from an unlikely supply: Virgil van Dijk. Ajax’s vulnerability from set-gadgets — or actually any extreme ball into the subject — was apparent and the Liverpool centre-again by no means had a better likelihood than when left unmarked from Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s thirty fifth-minute supply.

He compelled Remko Pasveer proper into a high quality save and labored the Ajax goalkeeper as quickly as extra two minutes earlier than the interval when meeting Tsimikas’ supply from the fully different facet. Van Dijk had 4 efforts in all — however it was Matip who obtained here good — after lacking an earlier likelihood of his personal — beating Pasveer for his third Champions League purpose and first since December 2013 for Schalke. It was additionally his first match-worthwhile purpose since becoming a member of Liverpool in 2016.

a approach of déjà vu about Liverpool’s defensive weaknesses

The cancellation of final weekend’s Premier League fixtures as a end result of of this of passing of Queen Elizabeth II might have given Liverpool extra time to work on their defending nonetheless the purpose they conceded right here had a particular sense of déjà vu and a failure to be taught from previous errors. Not for the foremost time this season, Alexander-Arnold was found wanting. Steven Berghuis drifted in behind him to pull the ball again the place Kudus was given time to level and unleash an fantastic effort which crashed in off Alisson‘s crossbar.

The purpose bore marked similarities to Jadon Sancho‘s opener when Manchester United beat Liverpool 2-1 final month; after one other foray down Liverpool’s proper, the United winger obtained the ball inside the subject and had an age to get hold of the web. Liverpool finally obtained themselves over the avenue nonetheless the pattern of vulnerability is simply not going to have gone unnoticed by their rivals. With no recreation now till October 1, Klopp might have loads to time to ponder a better possibility to resolve it.

participant scores

Liverpool: Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 6, Matip 7, Van Dijk 6, Tsimikas 7, Elliott 6, Fabinho 6, Thiago 7, Salah 7, Jota 7, Diaz 7.
Subs: Nunez 6, Firmino 6, Milner 6, Bajcetic 6.

Ajax: Pasveer 7, Rensch 7, Timber 7, Bassey 7, Blind 7, Alvarez 7, Taylor 7, Tadic 7, Berghuis 7, Bergwijn 6, Kudus 7.
Subs: Sanchez 6, Grillitsch 6, Brobbey 6.

best and worst performers

best: Thiago. He used the ball intelligently and helped Liverpool protect stress on Ajax all through their best spells inside the sport.

WORST: Elliott. The 19-yr-previous has been one among Liverpool’s larger performers this season however he struggled to make a significant impression right here and was substituted as Liverpool chased a winner.

Highlights and notable moments

Mo Salah is now 4 goals away from being the best scoring African participant inside the historic previous of the Champions League.

The 22-yr-previous Ghanaian scored again to again goals for Ajax inside the Champions League for the foremost time in his profession.

Matip supplied the late drama at Anfield.

After the match: What the managers, gamers said

“He would not hesitate, eh? He would not wait prolonged. When he finds a date for that, he can name me. He forgets that inside the large sports activities in America, these gamers have 4-month breaks so as that they’re pretty blissful they’re going to carry out considerably little bit of sport in these breaks. it is fully fully different in soccer. What am i ready to say? think about that: United gamers, Liverpool gamers, Everton gamers altogether in a single workforce. it is not a nationwide workforce. North in direction of south. And all of the London guys collectively, Arsenal, Tottenham, good. Did he actually say it? fascinating.” – Klopp on Chelsea proprietor Todd Boehly’s suggestion of a Premier League North vs. South all-star recreation

Key Stats (supplied by ESPN Stats & information)

– Mohamed Salah ends a 7-recreation scoring drought inside the Champions League, the longest of his profession.

– Mohammed Kudus has scored 5 goals in his final 4 video games for Ajax.

– Joel Matip’s third profession UCL purpose and first since 2013-14 with Schalke. that is his first recreation-worthwhile purpose since becoming a member of Liverpool.

Up subsequent

Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp’s facet are off to a sluggish start in each the Premier League and Champions League this season, and have a tough set of matches forward, regardless of their subsequent recreation in direction of Chelsea being postponed. The Reds will face Brighton at dwelling on Oct. 1 inside the Prem, adopted by their subsequent Champions League match in direction of Rangers on Oct. 4, after which a go to to the Emirates on Oct. 9 to face Arsenal, who’re extreme of the desk.

Ajax: The Dutch facet are off to a worthwhile advertising and marketing campaign inside the Eredivisie and in Europe, with no scarcity of goals. they’re going to face fourth place Alkmaar on Sept. 18, then struggling facet Go forward Eagles on Oct. 1, adopted by a dwelling recreation in direction of a fired up Napoli facet inside the Champions League



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