Liverpool 5-2 Roma: Reds have one foot in Champions League final

Liverpool have one foot in this season’s Champions League final after an emphatic 5-2 thumping of AS Roma in the first leg of their semi-final at Anfield on Tuesday evening.

After Roma looked comfortable for the opening 20 minutes, Liverpool took control of the game and deserved to be ahead even before Mohamed Salah had given Jurgen Klopp’s side the lead on 35 minutes.  The Egyptian then doubled the score at the end of the first half.

Sadio Mane had missed two excellent chances to score in the first half before the forward tapped in from close range just before the hour.  Five minutes later Roberto Firmino helped himself to a goal as Liverpool made it 4-0.  The Brazilian added his second midway through the second half before the manager gave Salah a rest.

That seemed to spur the visitors on, as well as Dejan Lovren misjudging a long ball that allowed Edin Dzeko to pull one back in the final five minutes.  A handball from James Milner five minutes later saw Diego Perotti reduce the score to 5-2 and that’s how it finished.

The second leg will be played in Rome next week but with how badly the Italian side defended Liverpool fans should have no fear about throwing away this big lead.