Anfield gobbles up the Submarine – AS.com

Villarreal walked out of Anfield. reeling and with deep woundsafter being shaken viciously by an overwhelming Liverpool in the second half. But in the end, stand up. Y wanting to continue fighting in the best competition in the world. Hendersonwith a lot of luck, and mane they put black on white the wave network. Two goals that perhaps fell short apparently in the green. Overcome this advantage to the fittest team in Europe seems like a very difficult task. But this Villarreal has shown that he can handle everything in this Champions League. With a Ceramic filled to the brim and with Gerard recovered, there may be a gap to turn the tie around in six days. For trying it will not be.

At times, Bad memories came back to Villarreal. Those of 2016, in which in another semifinal, the Submarine was swallowed by Anfield. At the start of the second half, barely being able to pass the center of the fieldthe yellow team was easy prey in the hands of a red cannibal that threatened to leave the pass to the final more than finished. But going back to the script of the first part, the Castellón team, resisted. until Klopp took out the calculator and preferred to travel to Spain with a two-goal advantage and not risking receiving a goal from Villarreal that would have been a real disaster for them after putting together a more than remarkable game.

So what Villarreal had appeared at Anfield as if they had been playing in the Champions League semifinals for 20 years in a row. Knowing that Liverpool was going to go out like a plane taking off, spurred on by the aura that this stadium has, the yellow players tried not to panic at any time. And in the first half they succeeded. Liverpool enjoyed many approaches. With the way Klopp’s group plays, the opposite would have been impossible. But clear chances, in the first 45 minutes, he only had Thiago’sin a launch from 25 meters, which crashed into the crosshead.

Mané was around Rulli’s area but once he lost control, another headed out and another was blocked by Albiol. Y time passed and Villarreal executed the score with skill in the most glamorous auditorium. It was also about giving a scare. and there it ise was somewhat short although Danjuma and Chukwueze They tried to make their companions find them with continuous diagonals. Lo Celso tried but very forced he finished off.

After the break came another ‘mini party‘, one of those that Parejo was referring to in the previous one. And in this one, the red locomotive ran over the Submarine. From the kick-off, a dizzying Liverpool went for Villarreal’s jugular. Rulli’s network was the only goal. And in 19 minutes, the ball kissed her four times. Fortunately, the referee disallowed two of the goals offside. But he didn’t do it in the three black minutes that Emery’s group lived in Anfield.

A rebound on Estupiñán’s foot He sent a Henderson cross into the net and at that very moment Emery’s approach was blown up. Anfield exploded and engulfed Villarreal again, six years later. She didn’t even have time to blink. The pressure was suffocating. Two minutes later, another fatal blow. If the 1-0 came through bad luck, the 2-0 was a trick already executed a thousand times by the most effective couple in Liverpool in the last five years. Salah He had a second to think. Evil. Touch of genius when unchecking Mané and he shoots Rulli. In just two taps. The threat had become reality.

With Anfield on, Villarreal was entrusted with the arduous mission of scoring a goal to leave the tie alive for the second leg at La Cerámica. Emery put fresh legs but the supposedly tired of Liverpool multiplied in the pressure. Villarreal lacked air and missed gerardthe real reactant at Juventus Stadium and Allianz. He didn’t shoot on goal. But at least he didn’t take the third one, which would have been a fatal wound. Ceramic remains. The challenge will be the most complicated in its history. But it is soccer. Why not?