It just had to be Luis Diaz.
Ibrahima Konate, Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz scored for visiting Liverpool while Darwin Nunez got one for Benfica in their UEFA Champions League match.
It just had to be Luis Diaz.
The Colombia winger was the last player Benfica supporters inside the atmospheric Estádio da Luz wanted to see race onto a through-ball and produce an emphatic finish to complete a 3-1 win for Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday. (More Football News)
After all, Diaz was playing for Porto, Benfica바카라s big rival in Portugal, until he was signed by Liverpool in January. No wonder he was whistled by home fans 바카라 and even targeted with objects thrown from the stands 바카라 as he wheeled away in celebration following his crucial third goal in the 87th minute.
It was a brilliantly taken goal, too, as Diaz latched onto Naby Keita바카라s deflected pass that split Benfica바카라s defense before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting his finish into the unguarded net from a tight angle.
바카라He got a nice reception, didn바카라t he?바카라 Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson said, smiling. 바카라It was a good finish for him and a really important goal for us. It gives us a two-goal cushion, which makes a difference.바카라
Diaz, who was jeered whenever he touched the ball, played a big part in Liverpool바카라s second goal, too, when he nodded down a pinpoint long pass by Trent Alexander-Arnold to allow Sadio Mane to tap home from close range in the 34th. That built on Liverpool바카라s opener scored by Ibrahima Konaté 바카라 the center back바카라s first for the club 바카라 off an outswinging corner from Robertson in the 17th minute.
Benfica, playing in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2016 after eliminating Ajax in the last 16, could easily have been further behind by halftime as Liverpool pressed high and was much sharper with its passing. But the hosts took the game more to the six-time European champions in the second half and Uruguay striker Darwin Núñez capitalized on a mistake by Konaté to pull a goal back in the 49th.
Konaté blotted what was otherwise a strong defensive display by failing to clear Rafa Silva바카라s cross from the right. The ball went through his legs and landed at the feet of Núñez, who took a couple of touches and delivered a composed, sidefooted finish beyond the sprawling Konaté and into the bottom corner.
There were a few more rocky moments for Liverpool 바카라 in one of them, goalkeeper Alisson Becker was almost dispossessed on the edge of his area by Silva 바카라 before Diaz바카라s strike ensured Jurgen Klopp바카라s team would clinch a fifth straight win in all competitions.
바카라Coming here and winning an away game in the Champions League is tough,바카라 Klopp said. 바카라Benfica fought for their lives. We gave them a little bit too much but they deserved the goal as well.바카라
Still, the Reds passed the latest test in their bid for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies, with the semifinals now in sight. They have already won the English League Cup, are in the semifinals of the FA Cup, and are one point behind leader Manchester City in the Premier League.
Klopp even took the option of bringing off star attackers Mane and Mohamed Salah in the 61st minute, perhaps with the league showdown against City on Sunday in mind.
City also will go into that game on the back of a win in Tuesday바카라s other quarterfinal, 1-0 over Atletico Madrid.