Champions League: Liverpool 2-0 Porto - Hits and Flops

Jurgen Klopp will be very pleased with how Liverpool performed in the fixture
Jurgen Klopp will be very pleased with how Liverpool performed in the fixture

Porto never really put up much of a fight in this match and the best that can be said for the Portuguese side was that they had a few decent opportunities through Marega, but the forward's shots were ultimately handled with ease by Alisson.

With the Reds going into the second leg with a two-goal advantage, things look very bleak for Porto. They were dismantled by the sheer speed and pressure put onto them by Liverpool's attack force and it's likely to be the same in the next game.

Jurgen Klopp will be very pleased with how Liverpool performed in the fixture, displaying dominance and composure over a side which they would have been relieved to have been selected to play against.

However, they can't afford to become complacent if they advance to the next round, as Porto is certainly one of the easier sides left in the competition and the real competition will come in the next round.

With that said, let's take a look at three hits and three flops from last night's Champions League game.


Flop - Moussa Marega

Moussa Marega
Moussa Marega

Although his positioning was good, Marega's finishing was simply all over the place. He fired wide several times and didn't appear to pose any real threat to Liverpool throughout the entirety of the match.

He did have a low-driven shot saved by the legs of Alisson, but ultimately he was shepherded out of the game by Lovren and van Dijk, who linked up well together at the back.

Had Marega capitalised on the opportunities his teammates were setting up for him, this game could have been completely different. Instead of being Porto's hero, the forward has been left to rue the many chances missed.


Hit - Jordan Henderson

He pulled the strings in the midfield for Liverpool
He pulled the strings in the midfield for Liverpool

Jordan Henderson played a different role to the one he usually would for the Reds and was allowed to push up and become an attacking midfielder. This would prove to be the winning tactic for Jurgen Klopp, as Henderson kept splitting apart the Porto defence with his through-balls time after time.

He pulled the strings in the midfield for Liverpool and made an excellent pass in the build-up to Roberto Firmino's goal, before giving the Brazilian forward another golden opportunity with a chipped ball later on. He even whipped in a cross for Mane which was scored but was ruled offside.

Henderson was ultimately awarded Man of the Match, capping off an excellent game for the 28-year-old.

Hit - Roberto Firmino

He linked up well with the players around him
He linked up well with the players around him

Roberto Firmino bagged the second goal for Liverpool in this match and was a real threat to Porto all night. He could have gotten more if it wasn't for some solid play by Porto's defenders in the second-half.

He linked up well with the players around him, showcasing the strong chemistry he's built up with the first team squad in recent seasons, and was a stand-out player for the Reds, just as he is in the Premier League.

Firmino played so well in this match that he actually overshadowed the mercurial Mohamed Salah, who is usually the talking point in these sort of games.


Flop - Iker Casillas

Saint Iker
Saint Iker

Iker Casillas had a poor game, sure, but what made things even worse was the immaturity he showed after the game by posting on Twitter about supposedly overlooked fouls that he believed cost Porto the match.

Of course, anyone who watched the game will know that the Reds won it fair and square. The only thing Casillas has proved in this instance is that he's a sore loser. His tweet was clearly an attempt to deflect the negative attention on him after his woeful performance in-between the sticks.

The game will be one to forget for the Spaniard but with the second leg now on the horizon, he must learn from the mistakes he made in this game and ensure that he is at his best, for Porto can't afford to concede any more goals if they want to advance in the competition. A two-goal cushion for a side as strong as Liverpool will make things very tough for Porto.

Hit - Naby Keita

With Naby Keita being played as an attacking midfielder, he seems to flourish
With Naby Keita being played as an attacking midfielder, he seems to flourish

Keita is in great form right now, having scored against Southampton in the Premier League mid-week, to now scoring against Porto in the Champions League. He is a midfielder with relentless stamina and that was showcased in last night's game.

With Naby Keita being played as an attacking midfielder, he seems to flourish and really adds even more danger to the Liverpool attack force. He can either choose to pick out a pass for his teammates or shoot himself - and that's what he did, scoring five minutes into the match, though it did take a heavy deflection.

At last Keita is starting to show why the Reds spent £53 million on him in the summer.


Flop - Maxi Pereira

Porto's backline was poor, but it was Maxi Pereira who played the worst
Porto's backline was poor, but it was Maxi Pereira who played the worst

The Porto right-back was caught out several times last night by the Liverpool attack and was clearly out of his depth in the battle against Sadio Mane on that flank.

When Mane scored the offside goal in the second-half, Maxi Pereira was looking relieved as it was he who gave the ball away in front of his own penalty area that set up the move which resulted in Sadio Mane finding the back of the net.

In truth, the whole of Porto's backline was poor, but it was Maxi Pereira who played the worst, consistently losing the ball and struggling to cope with the pressure of Liverpool's front three. He will certainly be hoping for a better game in the next leg.

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