Hats Off To Liverpool
Liverpool celebrate
Photo Credit: Canadian Press
Love them or hate them, their comeback against Barcelona tonight is something that even their fiercest rivals have to tip their cap to. It was just a week ago that I wrote a blog after Liverpool’s 0-3 defeat to Barcelona at the Camp Nou that I included this line, “No chance whatsoever in the 2nd leg for Liverpool.” I talked about had they gotten an away goal and made it 3-1, how they would have had so much better of an opportunity in this game. Granted a 2-0 win at home against Barca would have still been a tall task. Well somehow Liverpool pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in Champions League history. So just how did they do it?
A stunned Lionel Messi
Photo Credit: Fox Soccer
Liverpool started off the game on the right foot by snagging an early goal and giving them just a slimmer of hope. Here’s the goal scored by Divock Origi in the 7th minute after a Jordan Henderson shot was blocked by Barca keeper, ter Stegen, and fell right at Origi’s feet. (Refresh page if Tweet doesn’t load)
Liverpool were able to hold onto this 1-0 lead and take it into half-time, knowing they would still need two more goals to get this game into extra time. To start the 2nd half, Jurgen Klopp brought on Georginio Wijnaldum and oh man what a decision that was. Not only did Wijnaldum score Liverpool’s 2nd goal of the night in the 54th minute but he scored the third goal just 2 minutes later, which tied the two teams at 3-3 on aggregate. Here’s the third goal by Wijnaldum.
Now even at this point as Liverpool had tied it all up, they still had to be wary of an away goal by Barcelona as a single goal by Barca would have then forced Liverpool to score 2 goals due to away goal rules. But Liverpool’s defense held up and I take back my jab that I made last week at Van Dijk. Then in the 79th minute, Liverpool caught Barcelona napping, which they apparently were doing throughout the night. After winning a corner kick, Trent Alexander-Arnold took a surprise, quick free kick and found Origi unmarked in the box to score the game winner.
Absolutely unbelievable. This right here is the reason why you watch soccer. Yes soccer can be boring and dull at times but the highs can be the greatest and this win is one that Liverpool fans will never forget. It truly is one of the greatest comebacks in a second leg in history in European football. Against the almighty Barcelona, likely 2 trophy winner in Spain this season, with one of the greatest attackers in the history of football in Lionel Messi, and Liverpool were able to win 4-0 to complete the comeback.
Granted it’s not the first time Liverpool have had a miraculous 3-0 comeback. If you’re not aware, in the 2005 Champions League final, Liverpool went down 3-0 in the first half to AC Milan. Liverpool came out in the 2nd half and scored 3 goals in about 6 minutes to force extra time and then eventually penalty kicks, in which they would go on to win. And that was against an absolutely loaded, all time great AC Milan team that featured Kaka, Maldini(regarded as one of the greatest defenders ever), Pirlo, Crespo, Seedorf, Shevchenko, Cafu and others. The game would become know as The Miracle Of Istanbul.
Thanny