Liverpool swept the match 5-2. AS Roma visited to play the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal with Liverpool who put in a splendid performance and grabbed another famous European home win.
The match hero was Muhammad Salah – 2 goals; 2 assists.
1st Half
- The Italian side began the first half quite positively and tried to press Liverpool high up the field. They succeeded to a certain extent and forced Liverpool back. This allowed them a few sights at goal and they came close with a long shot from Kolarov whose effort was powered on to the bar by Lorus Karius.
- However, Liverpool soon established a foothold in the game and started to dominate. Sadio Mane missed a few very good chances.
- Mohammad Salah started the Liverpool onslaught when he curled in a beautiful shot after cutting in from the right wing. He doubled his tally with a wonderful dinked finish over an advancing Alisson after being put clean through. The English side ended the half in the complete ascendancy.
- The English side ended the half in the complete ascendancy. The only downside for Liverpool in the half was that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain went off injured.
2nd Half
- Liverpool started the second half fast and furiously as well and scored an early third goal. Mane finally made a chance count after having a pass played to him by the man of the hour Salah.
- Roma were firmly on the back foot after the third and struggled to put a pass together. Their profligacy and poor defensive display meant that Salah grabbed another assist after putting a pass on a plate for Firmino to grab a deserved fourth.
- Firmino added another after heading in powerfully from an in swinging corner to further supplement the score line.
- After Salah went off, Roma seemed to pick up their game. Edin Dzeko grabbed one before Perotti scored from the spot to give Roma an outside chance heading into the second leg.
Roma Starting 11: Alisson; Fazio, Manolas, Jesus, Florenzi; De Rossi, Strootman, Kolarov, Nainggolan; Dzeko.
Liverpool Starting 11: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
