Hoffenheim vs Liverpool Live Score and Commentary, Champions League 2017-18 HOF vs LIV

PEEP! PEEP! PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

HOW THIS GAME HAS ENDED JUST 1-2 ONLY THOSE 22 ON THE FIELD(and whichever deity Dejan Lovren offered a human sacrifice to) WILL KNOW. LIVERPOOL LOOKED THREATENING ON THE COUNTER AND SCORED TWO GOOD GOALS TO CARRY HOME AN AWAY GOAL ADVANTAGE, BUT HOFFENHEIM REALLY SHOULD HAVE WON THIS AT A CANTER

The Englishside were horrendous in defence, but the Germans were worse in attack... Wasting so many of Karim Demirbay's deliveries should qualify as an act of crime. This may look over, but you can bet your backside it is not.

IF the Germans sort out their issues with finishing - Anfield will be in for one nerve-wracking second leg.

That's all from then after a magnificently entertaining night... Anirudh Menon signing out,

Toodle-ooo!

94' Liverpool move forward yet again through Mo Salah, and Grujic gets a shot on goal - that Baumann almost makes a mess off. but it will remain 1-2.

93' OH MY! Demirbay hobbles off the field after getting whacked yet again on that magic wand that passes for a left foot.

92' OH GOOD LORD HOW HAVE THEY MISSED! Demirbay sends in another "please, please, just head me in" delivery that Zuber somehow manages to head over from three yards out. Liverpool's ridiculous defending really has been matched - shamble for shamble - by Hoffenheim's defending.

91' FOUR MINUTES ADDED ON! Hoffenheim get another freekick in dangerous position...

90' the corner is taken quickly, but it;s a poor one and Liverpool counter at pace. Salah releases Wijnaldum one-on-one, but the Dutchman got into the favourable position by fouling Vogt, so...

89' Klopp makes his final change as Mane is hooked for Grujic. Kaderábek sends in another lovely ball that is - this time- dealt well by Trent...

The goal of the match! Mark Uchs is played in by a lovely little ball from Kaderábek and the sub takes it on his chest, turns on a half-pence and smashes it beyond Mignolet and into the corner of the net. SHAMBOLIC defending from Trent Alexander Arnold and Joel Matip, by the by. Finally punished

87' GOOOOOOOOAL!!! MARK UCHS!!!

86' More slick passing from Hoffenheim ends with a searching ball (this time from Rupp) that is cleared hastily away by a Liverpool defender (this time Matip)

84' Roberto Firmino walks off to a warm round of applause from his former congregation and is replaced by the 2017 U-20 World Cup Golden Ball winner Dominic Solanke

83' OH HO! THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THREE! Salah and Mane run at Hoffenheim 2v2 and the Egyptian draws them to him before releasing Mane - who smashes it to Bavaria.

82' OH MY! Demirbay sends in another delicious cross that Kaderábek heads across the box - only for Kramaric's superb volley to saved by Mignolet. Kaderábek keeps it alive, but once again Liverpool somehow manage to scramble it clear.

79' HOW HAVE HOFFENHEIM STILL NOT SCORED! Another lovely passing move ends with a delicious cross utterly wasted in the end inside the box. It's like having the game of Joey Tribbiani/ Barney Stinson/ Johnny Bravo all rolled into one only for it to turn into Ross Geller/ Ted Mosby/ Johnny Bravo when it gets to the business end of things

78' Liverpool are countering at will now as Nagelsmann's side look all at sea... they've lost shape, they've lost disciple, and for my money, they've lost the tie. Unless...

77' OUCH! Hubner smashes into Firmino to stop another Liverpool counter and he's lucky to escape with a yellow... from the freekick Liverpool stream forward and Moreno sends in a lovely ball that Hoffenheim just about scramble clear... the Spaniard gets another bit at it, but he sends his shot straight at Baumann.

OH HO HO! WHAT A SHOT. The venerable Englishman runs onto a superb Firmino ball (after a quickly taken free-kick) and Milner strokes into the net Figo style.... oh wait, it was a cross that smashed into Nordtveidt's chest and looped into the back of the net... scratch that what a shot bit, will you?

74' GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! JAMES MILNER!

73' Demirbay can pass a ball, my lord, he can. That left foot picks out Uth's run into the box, but the lad cannot get it under control, and Liverpool counter....

72' Moreno swings it in, but it merely bounces off Can's head in the cartoonish manner and straight into the neighbouring village. You could almost hear the "BOOP"

71' Nordtveidt does superbly to time his tackle on Mane to perfection - but the ball runs onto his hand, and it's a freekick in a dangerous position for the visitors.

70' Another substitution for the home side as Gnarby is taken off for Uth; more pertinently from the corner LOVREN SMACKS ANOTHER HEADER AT GOAL - THIS ONE BAUMANN SAVES WELL. For someone who's so poor in the air in his own box, the Croat can be brilliant in the opposition's!

69' OOO Salah finds Moreno with an ambitious ball that switches focus from left to right but Moreno can't do naught but pass it to Baumann. The keeper doesn't clear well, though and Salah is sent running into the box - he takes a shot with his right foot; and Baumann saves it.

68' Nothing happens from the corner, but it's not cleared well and Trent takes the opportunity to careen through the Hoffenheim defence - but he's crowded out as his touch deserts him at the last moment!

67' Liverpool carry so much quality up the field though - Milner almost finds Salah with a cleverly disguised ball into the box, but Vogt gets a lanky leg in to keep his side in it.

66' AIY AIY GNARBY! The German is released into the box by Kramaric but he sends his shot just off target!

65' Demirbay sends in another of one of his delicious balls, but Liverpool scramble clear. Hoffenheim are knocking incessantly, but the Merseysiders seem determined to keep it shut. You can almost hear Klopp shout "HODOR"

64' Three corners in quick succession for Hoffenheim...

63' OW!!! Hoffenheim take a freekick quickly and Liverpool are caught with their pants down... Kaderábek races into the box and stand one up at the far post, where Matip does well to make sure Gnarby doesn't get his head onto it.

62' Henderson's now being taken off as Klopp throws on his most experienced man - James Milner.

61' Rupp tries to punt the ball forward to Kramaric, but Matip gets his noggin' in the way... Liverpool counter and Salah slips in Henderson - but the captain's pass doesn't match his run and Baumann gathers with ease

59' OOO! Again Liverpool almost catch Hoffenheim napping... Emre Can screams forward and the forwards pull Hoffenheim's defence towards their right - and Trent screams into the vacant left side. But his cross into the box is disappointing, and the Blues survive another scare.

58' Hoffenheim are still dominating possession - with Demirbay occasionally punctuating a particularly pleasing passing move with a raking ball forward - but nothing is having its desired effect as of now.

55' Trent Alexander-Arnold talks his way into the ref's bad books and earns himself a yellow after vociferously complaining against the award of a throw-in.

54' It's rubbish.

53' OH! OH! OH! Kaderábek is sent screaming free into the goal by an impeccable Demirbay ball, Moreno has no idea what's happening, but the Hoffenheim man's first touch is horrendous.... the home side come screaming back, though, and win a corner off the hapless Lovren

51' Bicakcic has been taken off - an act of mercy from Nagelsmann - and now it will be Nordtveidt's turn to try and stop the flying Sadio Mane.

50' Oh Mane! The winger has started this half on fire and beats both Kaderábek and Bicakcic with a stunning turn of pace, but his shot is straight at Baumann... Can then fouls Demirbay who's leading the Hoffenheim counter - and that's a yellow.

49' OH MY!! THE BALL IS IN THE BACK OF THE NET, BUT GNARBY PUT IT THERE FROM AN OFFSIDE POSITION! He was played in, via a nutmeg, by Kramaric and the finish was superb - but the call was spot-on

48' Kaderábek stops Mo Salah in his tracks with some redoubtable defending, and Hoffenheim counter at pace....

47' OH GOOD LORD HOW HAS FIRMINO NOT DOUBLED LIVERPOOL'S LEAD! Mane screams past Bickacic with absurd ease and smacks a ball straight at Firmino. From five yards out the Brazilian shoots it at goal - and straight at Baumann. HOW IS THE GAME STILL 1-0

46' The Germans have started on the front foot.. it takes an excellent Moreno tackle to keep another vicious Demirbay cross at bay before Kramaric is caught offside after being put in through one-on-one.

PEEP! PEEP! We're back again... after the Hoffenheim players walk out of the tunnel with Wonderstruck expressions that say "how in blue hell are we 1-0 down in this one". If, IF, Liverpool somehow keep a cleansheet, Anfield might just carry them through to the Champions League proper

PEEP! PEEP! HALFTIME! HOFFENHEIM 0-0 LIVERPOOL

How the home side have not scored, only they will know... despite being the better side (by a margin) and carving out umpteen number of chances, they trail to a superb Trent Alexander-Arnold freekick.

What a debut for the young man.

Liverpool have defended shambolically, bypassed midfield in the absence of Coutinho and Lallana, and looked scary on the break - they will happily take a 1-0 lead back to their Anfield cathedral

46' OH LOVREN! From Moreno's outswinger, the Croatian jumps highest to head narrowly wide... after having such a shambolic day in the office on his regular day job, he came oh so close to doubling his side's advantage

45' OH! HOFFENHEIM THREATEN AGAIN and overload the Liverpool box, but Henderson keeps his calm to intercept and pass the ball out. The Englishman counter at breathtaking pace and it takes a brilliant Vogt tackle to ensure Mane is not through one-on-one

44' WOOF! What a touch. Firmino plucks a Can punt out of thin air before leaving Zuber for dead... he tries to thread it through to Mane, but Vogt reads the danger

The home side's finishing has matched their opponent's defence in the "how-shambolic-can-we-get" ratings

42' OH MY! OH MY! FIRST GNARBY GETS PLAYED INTO THE BOX AFTER KRAMRIC BULLIES LOVREN IN THE AIR - BUT THE GERMAN SMASHES HIS EFFORT AT MIGNOLET.

THE BALL BOUNCES OUT TO WAGNER, WHO VOLLEYS IT ONTO THE OUTSIDE OF THE POST!

40' Oh no! Matip smashes into Demirbay and the playmaker appears to be in some pain.... ah, nothing, he's fine. he'll run it off.

Hoffenheim vs Liverpool Live Score and Commentary, Champions League 2017-18 HOF vs LIV

Hoffenheim 1-2 Liverpool (Uchs88'; Alexander-Arnold 34', Milner 74')