Liverpool advances to Champions League final

VILLARREAL: Liverpool came back from two goals behind to defeat Villarreal 3-2 in the second leg here on Tuesday and reach its third Champions League final in five years.

The Premier League club advanced 5-2 on aggregate. After Boulaye Dia and Francis Coquelin put Villarreal 2-0 ahead by the 41st minute, Fabinho, substitute Luis Díaz and Sadio Mane scored in the second half to send Liverpool into the summit clash. “You could see how impressed we were with it (Villarreal) in the first half. To come back and win in the second [half] was really impressive,” said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

The ‘Reds’ was dominant in the first leg at Anfield but looked lost in the early stages at the La Ceramica Stadium as the host came out pressing.

It did not take long for Villarreal to cut down the overall deficit, with Dia opening the scoring from close range in the third minute following a pass from Etienne Capoue. In the 41st minute, the La Liga outfit doubled its advantage on the night when Coquelin headed the ball home after a right-flank cross by Capoue.

Liverpool improved significantly in the second half, with its first goal in the final leg coming in the 62nd minute.

Midfielder Fabinho produced a low shot that went through the legs of Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, a strike which gave the visitor a 3-2 lead in the semi-final. Diaz, who made a difference after coming on as a substitute at half-time, equalised on the night in the 67th minute with a header, which was set up by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s left-footed cross.

Mane put the tie to bed in the 74th minute after getting past Rulli outside the box and shooting the ball into an open net. Unai Emery’s team played a man down from the 86th minute after Capoue was sent off with a second yellow card.

RESULT:Semi-finals: Second leg: Villarreal 2 (B Dia 3, F Coquelin 41) lost to Liverpool 3 (Fabinho 62, L Diaz 67, S Mane 74) (Liverpool won 5-2 on aggregate)