Liverpool 4-3 Villarreal: Report, result and goals as nervy Reds get over the line

Liverpool fought back from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 in a thriller Champions League meeting at Anfield, maintaining their perfect start to the league phase.

Alexis Mac Allister scored twice, while Ronald Araujo and Florian Wirtz were also on target as Andoni Iraola’s side recovered from a dreadful opening half hour.

Villarreal had gone 2-0 up through Georges Mikautadze and Sergi Cardona, but Liverpool hit back with four unanswered goals before Tani Oluwaseyi grabbed a nervy finish.

The visitors stunned Anfield within four minutes Virgil van Dijk missed a headerallowing Mikautadze to collect the loose ball and fire a low left-footed effort past Alisson.

Liverpool struggled to settle, with Villarreal looking dangerous whenever they attacked and the hosts leaving space behind their defense repeatedly.

Mikautadze had the chance to double the lead in the 19th minute, but he failed to catch Santi Comesana after finding space in the penalty area.

The Spanish side got their second in the 29th minute when Nathan Saliba sent a pass through Liverpool’s defensive line.

Cardona ran onto the ball and calmly slotted past Alisson into the bottom corner, leaving the home side with a mountain to climb.

Liverpool finally responded seven minutes later when Konstantinos Tsimikas took a corner into the box and Mac Allister rose to head home from close range.

The Argentine almost grabbed another moment later, sending a powerful effort just wide from 25 yards.

Villarreal were still a threat, with Santiago Mourinho forcing Alisson into a good save, but Liverpool were starting to create more chances.

His improvement was rewarded in first-half stoppage time when Rio Ngumoha collected a partially cleared corner and fired a superb cross towards the back post.

Araujo came unmarked to beat Peter Gulacsi’s header and draw Liverpool level at 2-2 virtually on the stroke of half-time.

The UEFA Champions League table

Mac Allister completes the comeback as Ngumoha shines

Liverpool made a change at half-time, bringing on Wirtz for Araujo, and immediately looked more dangerous.

Ryan Gravenberch forced Gulacsi into a stop after bursting into the penalty area, while Cody Gakpo also tested the keeper with a low effort.

Wirtz was heavily involved in Liverpool’s attacking play, although the German initially struggled to find the finishing touch after getting into promising positions.

Trey Nyoni fired a powerful shot wide as the home side continued to press for a third goal.

Finally, the breakthrough came in the 65th minute, with Ngumoha again at the center of the play.

The 18-year-old beat Cardona down the right and raced towards the byline before cutting the ball back for Mac Allister, who fired first time off the crossbar.

It was the midfielder’s second goal of the night and completed Liverpool’s comeback from two goals down.

Three minutes later, the hosts seemed to have put the game beyond Villarreal.

Tsimikas won possession and found Gakpo, who carried the ball into the penalty area before picking out Wirtz.

The German guided a left-footed shot through Renato Veiga’s legs and into the bottom corner to make it 4-2.

Ngumoha walked off to a standing ovation soon after, having provided two assists in an outstanding display.

The teenager became Liverpool’s youngest ever player to register a Champions League goal, aged 18 years and 52 days.

Villarreal refused to give up, though, and threatened through Pape Gueye before substitute Gerard Moreno’s shot went wide.

The visitors scored another goal in the 87th minute when Ayoze Pérez got to the right and sent a cross towards the far post.

Oluwaseyi was left unmarked and converted with a left-handed first-timer, cutting the deficit to 4-3.

It made for a tense finish at Anfield, with Villarreal throwing players forward in search of an equaliser.

Pérez had one last chance in stoppage time but saw his effort from outside the area blocked by the first defender.

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