Two Liverpool players impressed as Jurgen Klopp’s side drew 3-3 with Benfica at Anfield, winning 6-4 on aggregate, to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.
The first half was eventful and full of chances. The aptly-named Everton had the first sight of goal, sending a curling effort just wide for Benfica.
Liverpool took the lead in the 21st minute when Ibrahima Konate rose tall to connect with a Kostas Tsimikas set-piece, sending it into the bottom corner. It saw the defender register a goal against Benfica for the second game in a row.
The Reds then had chances through Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino, but it was Benfica who struck next. Liverpool were sloppy in possession and Goncalo Ramos capitalised to send a vicious effort past Alisson with 32 minutes gone.
More opportunities fell to Diaz and Naby Keita before the interval, but they weren’t taken and the two teams headed down the tunnel with the score at 1-1.
In the second half, Liverpool re-took the lead through Firmino. A couple of Benfica errors allowed Diogo Jota to fire into the box on his left foot. It looked like a wayward shot but Firmino was there to tap into effectively an open net.
And the Brazilian forward secured his brace 10 minutes later. Another dangerous Tsimikas delivery found Firmino in bags of space and he volleyed home from close range.
Benfica hit another goal in the 73rd minute when Joel Matip was caught napping, allowing substitute Roman Yaremchuk to round Alisson before scoring.
And the Lisbon giants had some hope of a dramatic comeback when the in-form Darwin Nunez made it 3-3 with nine minutes left. However, they couldn’t get the vital two goals and Liverpool went through.
The result means Klopp’s men will face Villarreal in the last four, following the Spanish outfit’s surprise 2-1 aggregate win over Bayern.
Firmino and Konate were Liverpool’s highest-rated players, therefore staking their claim for a starting spot against Villarreal, while Diaz wasn’t too far…