Benfica vs Liverpool LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction tonight
Relive all the action from the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon
Winger Luis Diaz marked his return to Portugal with the crucial late goal which gave Liverpool a 3-1 lead over Benfica to take back to Anfield for their Champions League quarter-final second leg.
The former Porto star, signed in January, was booed relentlessly but he responded perfectly in the 87th minute to spare the blushes of Ibrahima Konate, whose mistake just over half an hour after scoring his first goal for the club had gifted the hosts a goal they had barely deserved.
Jurgen Klopp’s side had been coasting at half-time in the Estadio da Luz after Sadio Mane’s goal doubled the advantage given to them by their centre-back’s header but having squandered numerous chances, Konate’s legs got tangled as he tried to make a clearance early in the second half and Darwin Nunez capitalised.
It was a goal which significantly changed the game for a long period, as Benfica suddenly looked the better side with Liverpool completely out of sorts, but Diaz had the final word to make the return look slightly more comfortable than it had done.
Victory saw Liverpool, who had lost on their last three visits here, equal a club record of five successive away victories in Europe.
Relive all the action live below:
Liverpool put one foot in Champions League semi-finals after Luis Diaz downs Benfica
Liverpool successfully navigated this first of four matches that could decide their quadruple hopes, even though it briefly threatened to be an archetypal game of two halves. Luis Diaz’s late goal and some timely second-half substitutions broke Benfica’s momentum at the Estadio da Luz and salvaged a slightly slipshod second half performance in Lisbon.
As it is, Jurgen Klopp’s will go into the second leg of this Champions League quarter-final with a comfortable though not commanding two-goal advantage to protect, with Diaz adding to first-half strikes by Ibrahima Konaté and Sadio Mané. It was a mixed night for Konate, whose mistake led to Darwin Nunez’s reply and set off Benfica’s second half resurgence.
It said everything about the delicate balancing act that Klopp has to strike over these next few weeks that, in those moments, Mohamed Salah was sacrificed as part of a triple substitution on the hour mark, just as Benfica’s backs were up. Mané was also replaced but those changes steadied the ship and earned both some rest before Sunday’s trip to Manchester City.
Liverpool put one foot in semi-finals after Luis Diaz downs Benfica
Benfica 1-3 Liverpool: The former Porto winger scored late on against his old rivals to ensure the Reds of a comfortable lead to take into the second leg
Benfica 1 - 3 Liverpool
Benfica 1 - 3 Liverpool
That was Liverpool’s fifth straight away win in this Champions League campaign – and 10th in their last 13 away from Anfield in Europe.
Under Klopp, this was Liverpool’s fourth win in four visits to Portugal with an aggregate score of 17-3.
Benfica 1 - 3 Liverpool
It wasn’t the most convincing performance in the second half from Liverpool especially after their dominant first 45 minutes. They got the win though and have a comfortable lead to take back to Anfield.
If you offered that result to Jurgen Klopp before the game he’d have taken it.
Full-time: Benfica 1 - 3 Liverpool
90+7 mins: It’s a comfortable lead for Liverpool but they haven’t won the tie yet. Darwin Nunez’s consolation could yet prove vital in this quarter-final.
Benfica will take heart from Inter Milan’s victory at Anfield in the previous round and will feel as though they can get something from that match.
For now though, Liverpool have done what they needed to. They’ll have a two goal advantage for the second leg and can now focus on facing Manchester City in a potential Premier League decider on Sunday.
Benfica 1 - 3 Liverpool
90+3 mins: Fabinho takes a knock after a collison with Otamendi and more time will be added on at the end of the game. It’s a head injury for the Liverpool midfielder who has walked off the pitch as Liverpool defend a corner.
Benfica 1 - 3 Liverpool
90 mins: Three minutes of stoppage time to play. It’s game management time for Liverpool now.
GOAL! Benfica 1 - 3 Liverpool (Diaz, 87’)⚽️
87 mins: Diaz restores Liverpool’s two-goal cushion! Otamendi commits to a sliding tackle on Firmino who manages to slip the ball away to Keita. He threads it through the Benfica defence and plays Diaz in behind. Vlachodimos comes flying off his line but stops short of fouling the forward who shimmies around the goalkeeper and coolly guides the ball into the open net!
Benfica 1 - 2 Liverpool
84 mins: Andy Robertson curls a corner into the box that bounces through to Henderson. He slides it back into Fabinho whose ball back into the middle is blocked out for a throw in. This has been a good final 10 minutes for Liverpool, the game has swung back in their favour and they look the most likely team to score again now.
Benfica 1 - 2 Liverpool
81 mins: Chance! Fabinho fizzes the ball out wide to Henderson on the right side of the box. Firmino is waiting in the six-yard area but Liverpool’s captain floats the ball over to Luis Diaz. He attempts to turn it towards goal on the half-volley but scuffs his effort wide of the near post. That would have been a steal for Liverpool.
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