Match: 2-1
After their defeat during the first day of the Champions League in Naples (1-4), Liverpool recovered well by beating Ajax Amsterdam at the end of the match (2-1). Mercy FC earned its first points in the competition and thus joined its evening opponent in the Group A classification.
Jurgen Klopp’s men struggled for a long time to win this encounter which they largely dominated. The Reds placed a high block from the start, which they did not do against Napoli, but were reluctant to make their first appearance against a tight Ajax defence, before finding the gap in the counter-attack. Allison’s long ball reached Luis Diaz who headed to Diogo Jota. The transfer of the Portuguese Mohamed Salah alone in the area to deceive Remko Pasfer (17, 1-0). A liberating goal, he achieved many attempts (21, 23, 24).
But Liverpool were only ten minutes ahead before conceding the equalizer in Amsterdam. In the back, Trent Alexander Arnold let Stephen Burgess escape. Stephen Bergwijn erased his compatriot’s cross, leaving the ball for Kudus who blasted Alisson’s cage (27, 1-1) for his second goal in as many matches in the competition. And if Liverpool pressed to regain supremacy, at the end of the first half and until the end of the regulatory time, the imperial team faced Rymko Pasphere. (see elsewhere).
3
Ajax only hit three times against Liverpool on Tuesday night. Lowest total in a Champions League match since Opta analyzed the competition (2003-2004).
The purely offensive choices made by Jurgen Klopp after the hour – Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino to replace Diogo Jota and Harvey Elliott – destabilized his players for a time, who lost control of the match somewhat. Anything was possible, and the defenses could crack somehow. A jerk passed through the extensions of Anfield at the head of Daley Blind, passed near the center of Allison (75).
Player: Remko Pasvir
But the Reds netted for a second time after stumbling on the 38-year-old Dutchman for a long time. Remko Pasfer was the headache for Liverpool and Ajax’s sandman. His reversal saves, on top of Virgil van Dijk (35) and on two runs against Trent Alexander-Arnold (42), will fuel the hopes of his partners, as will his other six performances. Joël Matip’s header from a corner kick would be too much (89, 2-1). Mo Salah had found the edge in excitement before.
