Liverpool 4-3 Villarreal: Report, result and goals as nervy Reds get over the line

Liverpool fought back from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 in a thrilling Champions League encounter at Anfield, maintaining their perfect start to the league phase.

Alexis Mac Allister scored twice, while Ronald Araujo and Florian Wirtz were also on target as Andoni Iraola’s side recovered from a dreadful opening half-hour.

Villarreal had raced into a 2-0 lead through Georges Mikautadze and Sergi Cardona, but Liverpool responded with four unanswered goals before Tani Oluwaseyi set up a nervy finish.

The visitors stunned Anfield inside four minutes when Virgil van Dijk badly misplaced a header, allowing Mikautadze to collect the loose ball and fire a low left-footed effort past Alisson.

Liverpool struggled to settle, with Villarreal looking dangerous whenever they attacked and the hosts repeatedly leaving space behind their defence.

Mikautadze had an opportunity to double the lead in the 19th minute but failed to pick out Santi Comesana after finding space inside the penalty area.

The Spanish side eventually got their second in the 29th minute when Nathan Saliba slipped a pass through Liverpool’s defensive line.

Cardona raced onto the ball and calmly slotted past Alisson into the bottom corner, leaving the home side facing a mountain to climb.

Liverpool finally responded seven minutes later when Konstantinos Tsimikas delivered a corner into the area and Mac Allister rose to head home from close range.

The Argentine almost grabbed another moments later, sending a powerful effort narrowly wide from 25 yards.

Villarreal remained a threat, with Santiago Mourino forcing Alisson into a fine save, but Liverpool were beginning to create more opportunities.

Their improvement was rewarded in first-half stoppage time when Rio Ngumoha collected a partially cleared corner and delivered an excellent cross towards the back post.

Araujo arrived unmarked to head past Peter Gulacsi, bringing Liverpool level at 2-2 with virtually the final touch of the half.

The UEFA Champions League Table

Mac Allister completes comeback as Ngumoha shines

Liverpool made a change at the interval, introducing Wirtz for Araujo, and immediately looked more dangerous.

Ryan Gravenberch forced Gulacsi into a save after bursting into the penalty area, while Cody Gakpo also tested the goalkeeper with a low effort.

Wirtz was heavily involved in Liverpool’s attacking play, although the German initially struggled to find a finishing touch after working his way into promising positions.

Trey Nyoni then sent a powerful strike narrowly wide as the hosts continued to push for a third goal.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 65th minute, with Ngumoha once again at the heart of the move.

The 18-year-old beat Cardona down the right and raced towards the byline before cutting the ball back for Mac Allister, who fired a first-time effort in off the crossbar.

It was the midfielder’s second goal of the evening and completed Liverpool’s comeback from two goals behind.

Three minutes later, the hosts appeared to have put the game beyond Villarreal.

Tsimikas won possession and found Gakpo, who carried the ball into the penalty area before picking out Wirtz.

The German guided a composed left-footed finish through Renato Veiga’s legs and into the bottom corner to make it 4-2.

Ngumoha departed to a standing ovation shortly afterwards, having provided two assists in an outstanding display.

The teenager became Liverpool’s youngest player to register a goal involvement in the Champions League, aged 18 years and 52 days.

Villarreal refused to give up, however, and threatened through Pape Gueye before substitute Gerard Moreno curled an effort wide.

The visitors then pulled another goal back in the 87th minute when Ayoze Perez reached the right byline and delivered a cross towards the far post.

Oluwaseyi was left unmarked and converted with a first-time left-footed finish, reducing the deficit to 4-3.

That set up a tense finish at Anfield, with Villarreal throwing players forward in search of an equaliser.

Perez had one final opportunity in stoppage time but saw his effort from outside the area blocked by the first defender.

Upcoming fixtures for Liverpool and Villarreal

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: 101greatgoals.com