Elliott Leads Liverpool to UCL Round of 16

Harvey Elliott scored his first Champions League goal in over two years, sealing a seventh consecutive victory for Liverpool. However, Barcelona’s late equalizer in Lisbon denied them the top spot, leaving fans frustrated.

A 2-1 win seemed sufficient with a game remaining, but second-placed Barcelona triumphed over Benfica 5-4. Their last-minute goal ensured the battle for first place extends into the final fixture.

While Mohamed Salah marked his 50th European goal, it was 21-year-old Elliott who delivered the decisive strike. Liverpool’s defense, previously unbreached for nearly ten hours, faced a challenge just before Elliott’s goal.

Head coach Arne Slot secured a last-16 spot but wished for a safe top position before facing PSV Eindhoven. This would allow him to rest key players ahead of the match.

Aissa Mandi’s dismissal in the 59th minute should have eased Liverpool’s path. However, Lille’s Jonathan David scored with their only shot on target shortly after, adding tension to the match.

Unlike their previous match against Brentford, Liverpool avoided needing late heroics. Elliott capitalized on a half-cleared corner, scoring with a deflected shot that wrong-footed the goalkeeper.

This match lacked the drama of Darwin Nunez’s late goal from Saturday. Instead, Liverpool displayed a composed and efficient performance against resilient opponents, who arrived at Anfield on a 21-game unbeaten streak.

The first moment of brilliance came in the 34th minute. Curtis Jones’ pass released Salah, who skillfully found the net, beating goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier with precision.

With two more minutes gone, Liverpool set a club record for minutes without conceding a European goal. They surpassed the previous record of 572 minutes established under Rafael Benitez in the 2005-06 season.

The only goal conceded prior to this match occurred three minutes into their opening group game against AC Milan in September. Lille, noticing Liverpool’s untested back four, aimed to capitalize on the situation.

Despite a shaky start, Salah posed an early threat. He clinically converted his chance after Jones recovered possession and sent him racing forward.

Salah nearly doubled the lead with a brilliant touch on Dominik Szoboszlai’s long pass but missed the far post. Liverpool’s attack continued to press for another goal.

Elliott and Mac Allister entered the match after halftime, with Jones seemingly nursing a groin issue. Their contributions were crucial, especially after Lille threatened Liverpool’s defense.

David’s attempt squeezed between Tsimikas and Virgil van Dijk, ending Liverpool’s defensive streak at nine hours and 59 minutes. Moments later, Elliott struck decisively from the edge of the penalty area.

Nunez tapped in a rebound late in the game but was flagged offside. Liverpool now heads to Eindhoven, aiming to maintain their perfect record and break the club’s European win streak set in October 1984.

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