Liverpool 5-2 Roma: 3 managerial decisions that had an impact on the game

In a highly entertaining semifinal, Roma kept their Champions League final hopes alive after scoring two goals in the space of 5 minutes.

Until the 75th minute of the game, it seemed as though the second leg of the semifinal is going to be irrelevant. Liverpool looked so comfortable on the ball and so fierce in attack. They secured a five-goal lead and looked set to score more.

However, the match was so intense that Roma required only a moment of Liverpool's complacency to come right back into the game.

This Semi-final tie was considered a battle between two brilliant and highly admired tacticians, Jurgen Klopp and Eusebio Di Francesco. Every tactical move they made had a lasting effect on the match.

Di Francesco had been an angry figure in the dugout till 80th minute and Klopp all smiling and celebrating. In the final 10 minutes, it was Francesco's turn to celebrate while Klopp was left raging.

Here are the three managerial decisions that were critical in determining the final outcome of the match.

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#3 The decision to start Cengiz Ünder

Two weeks ago, in their remarkable win against Barcelona, it was Patrik Schick who started alongside Dzeko and Nainggolan in the attack. However, against Liverpool, Di Francesco preferred Ünder to Schick.

Under was ineffective and lacked aggression. He barely posed Lovren and Van Dijk any considerable threats. They looked so comfortable and defended with ease.

In the second half, Schick came on, but by that time Liverpool had already scored three and were in the mood to score more.

Schick, even though it took him some time to get into the game, caused Liverpool defence all sorts of problems in the final period of the game. He forced a brilliant save out of Karius in the 74th minute when he got the better of Robertson to head the ball towards the goal.

In his presence, the Liverpool backline became nervous and gradually started losing confidence as the final 10 minutes of the game suggests.

#2 Substitutions: Diego Perotti for Juan Jesus and Gonalons for De Rossi

Sometimes it takes an audacious decision by a manager to change the outcome of the match. Although these two substitutions didn't change the winner of the match, it gave Roma the breathing space. After all that happened in the first 70 minutes of the match, they can still look forward to the second leg tie with their hopes still alive.

Perotti, an attacking midfielder by trade, replaced the centre-back, Jesus, to inject more attacking flair to the struggling Roma midfield and he did it in some style. Even under immense pressure, he clinically converted from the penalty spot to minimise Liverpool's lead to 3 goals.

Daniele De Rossi, Roma's most loved footballer, was taken off the field with more than 20 minutes remaining. Rossi looked tired and demotivated throughout the match and Di Francesco made the right decision by replacing him with Gonalons.

#1 Substitution: Danny Ings for Mohamed Salah

Salah was extraordinary throughout the evening for Liverpool. He scored two and assisted two. The goals he scored were exquisite. His synergy with Firmino and his precision in front of the goal came to the fore as the match wore on.

Salah always drew two or three defenders towards him, freeing up Mane and Firmino. When Salah was around Liverpool were so prolific in attack that their defensive vulnerabilities were seldom exposed.

In the 78th minute of the match, when it seemed like UCL final hopes were dead for Roma, Salah was taken off rendering Liverpool toothless in attack. Without their talisman, Liverpool struggled to break the Roma defence. Even their dominance in the midfield began slipping away.

Soon, Roma started exploiting the weaknesses in the Reds' defence and they scored two goals keeping the tie alive.

Liverpool's lack of solidity has been masked this season by their intense and aggressive frontline. After Salah was replaced, Liverpool's attack weakened, and their defence cracked under sustained pressure from Roma.