Liverpool Maintain Perfect Champions League Record with 2-1 Win Over 10-Man Lille
Liverpool secured their place in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over 10-man Lille at Anfield, maintaining their flawless record in the group stage. Mohamed Salah and Harvey Elliott were the scorers for the Reds, while Jonathan David’s equalizer briefly threatened to spoil the party.
The match started with a flourish for Liverpool, as Salah put the hosts ahead in the 23rd minute. Curtis Jones’ perfectly timed through ball caught Lille’s midfield off guard, allowing the Egyptian forward to calmly curl past goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier for his 50th European goal for the club.
Lille, despite being on a 21-game unbeaten run heading into the match, were soon reduced to 10 men when Aissa Mandi was shown a second yellow card for a late. However, just moments after the dismissal, Lille stunned Liverpool with an equalizer. Jonathan David, the visitors’ standout striker, pounced on a rebound after his initial shot was blocked, sending Anfield into silence as he netted his 18th goal of the season in the 62nd minute.
Liverpool regained their composure and found the winner through substitute Harvey Elliott in the 74th minute. Elliott’s shot from distance took a wicked deflection off a Lille defender, wrong-footing Chevalier and sending the home crowd into raptures. The deflected strike sealed Liverpool’s seventh consecutive win in the Champions League group stage.
With the three points in the bag, Liverpool now sit atop the table with 21 points, securing their place in the knockout rounds and needing just one more point to guarantee top spot. Despite the win, manager Arne Slot made several tactical adjustments, including bringing on Trent Alexander-Arnold late in the game and substituting Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones at half-time.
The match also saw an unfortunate injury concern for Jones, who was forced off at half-time after sustaining a knock during the first half. Slot confirmed that the change was due to Jones’ inability to continue, though Gravenberch’s substitution had been pre-planned.
“We were very patient in our play,” Slot commented post-match. “Lille are a very tough team to break down, and I’m impressed with how we managed to stay calm, especially after conceding the equalizer. I am very proud of the team for staying focused and securing the win.”
Meanwhile, Lille’s manager expressed pride in his team’s performance, despite the defeat. “We knew Liverpool would be tough, and even with 10 men, we showed great character. We were organized and difficult to break down, but unfortunately, one moment of luck for them decided the game.”
Liverpool now turn their focus to the final group-stage match, where they will face PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, knowing that a draw will be enough to confirm top spot in the group. Lille, on the other hand, still have a chance to qualify for the knockout rounds but must secure a strong result against Feyenoord in their final fixture.
The victory not only keeps Liverpool’s perfect Champions League record intact but also signals the continued brilliance of Mohamed Salah, whose milestone 50th goal in Europe was a highlight of the evening. “I’m proud of the record, but the most important thing is that we won the game,” Salah said after the match. “Lille were a tough opponent, but we managed to get the job done.”