Benfica, Manchester City, Benfica, Manchester City. That’s the schedule for Liverpool in the next 11 days. And the Reds passed the first test with flying colors: Benfica – Liverpool 1-3. Jurgen Klopp’s men are basically through to the semi-final of the Champions League and can prepare for the showdown in the Premier League, where they face Manchester City on Sunday. Quadruple is still on the cards.🅰️ 34′: Luis Díaz assist⚽️ 87′: Luis Díaz goalSilencing the crowd. 🤫 https://t.co/Zl5b3sExnC— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) April 5, 2022 It was another night of Liverpool’s dominance, where Reds were the better team, had possession, pressed their opponent and created chances. They also had Luis Diaz, a Colombian winger who was signed from Porto this January and who was the man of the match with a goal and assist. Six round before the end of Portuguese championship, Benfica is in the same position as last season – they are third without the possibility to change it’s position. So, the hosts could only enjoy their success in the Champions League, where they reached quarter-finals. Tonight they tried to use the same tactics as against Ajax in the last round, but their defense didn’t hold up like it did against the Dutch champion. When they were forced to attack, they scored a goal and created chances, but it was too late.Luis Diaz knows Benfica well 😏 pic.twitter.com/Or0JnzLVUj— B/R Football (@brfootball) April 5, 2022 Jurgen Klopp made some changes since the Watford game as Alexander-Arnold, Nabu Keita and Luis Diaz all started the match, along with Ibrahima Konate, and the latter was the scorer after only 17 minutes. Liverpool needed only two decent chances before they found the target. Sadio Mane assisted to Salah with a backheel pass, but the Egyptian just missed the ball, and later, Liverpool’s number 11 assisted to Keita who shot straight at Vlachodimos. But the pressure was growing, Benfica didn’t move from their own half and goal was inevitable.After Robertson took the corner, almost 2 meters high Ibrahima Konate was left alone near the goal area and this was an easy goal: 1-0 for the guests. Liverpool ‘smelled the blood’ and continued to press, and after a good (but missed) opportunity for Salah, a beautiful second goal was scored by Sadio Mane, who played the strike in a 4-3-3 formation. Alexander-Arnold started the action with a long and deadly precise pass to Luis Diaz, who headed the ball beautifully to Mane, who only needed to stretch his foot: 2-0. The Colombian tried to score himself a couple minutes later, but his 22 meters effort was just short. Vlachodimos stopped Salah from scoring the third goal in injury time, and Benfica survived with only two goals in the net in the first 45 minutes, during which only had one chance.But quite surprisingly, the home team turned things around in the second half. Nelson Verissimo’s men came out flying and attacking, something they haven’t in the first half, and just 4 minutes later, they scored. It was a mistake by Konate, who somehow missed Rafa Silva’s ball and Nunez was there to tap it in for 2-1. Benfica continued it’s attacks one the wave of the first goal and nearly equalized in the 61st minute. Brazilian ace Ewerton had time to be precise in front of Alisson, but he only managed a shot straight at his countryman. Six minutes later, a possible penalty was not given, when Van Dijk was holding Nunez in the penalty area. It looked that this could be a foul for the penalty kick, but the referee and VAR didn’t think so.And what was Liverpool doing in the second half? To put it simply: nothing. Nothing until 88th minute. Jurgen Klopp made triple change, and Henderson, Jota and Firmino came in for Salah, Mane and Thiago depart. The Reds won the possession (almost 70%) but haven’t managed a single shot on goal until the 81st minute. Benfica really pushed for the equalizer, but they failed in the end. That contact between Van Dijk and Nunez remains a controversy, but Luis Diaz made sure there will be no second goal for the hosts. The Colombian scored the third goal for Liverpool in the 88th minute, which was also the first shot on target for the Reds in the second half. 3-1 is a huge advantage ahead of the second leg at Enfield. UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUEQuarter-final, first legTuesdayManchester City – Atletico Madrid 1-0 (0-0)/De Bruyne 70/Benfica – Liverpool 1-3 (0-2)/Nunez 49 – Konate 17, Mane 34, Diaz 87/Wednesday22.00: (2.15) Chelsea (3.35) Real Madrid (3.80)22.00: (5.60) Villareal (4.00) Bayern (1.67)***odds are subject to change
