ManCity beat Atlético Madrid 1-0 (0-0) at home on Tuesday, Liverpool won 3-1 (2-0) at Benfica Lisbon. ÖFB team player Valentino Lazaro was not used by the Portuguese. The second leg will take place on April 13th.
Liverpool were already deservedly 2-0 up in Lisbon after just over half an hour. Ibrahima Konaté (17th) with a header and Sadio Mané (34th) were the goalscorers. Benfica’s offensive power only flared up in places at the Estádio da Luz – for example in the 23rd minute, when Everton fired wide of the left post from the penalty area. Mohamed Salah missed the chance to make it 3-0 just before the break, but after the restart Konaté blundered and invited Darwin Nunez (49′) in, who reduced the deficit to 1-2 from close range.
Benfica then tried everything in the forward movement. In the 60th minute, visiting keeper Alisson had to make a save to fend off an Everton shot. After goalscorer Nunez went down in the 67th minute after a tackle in the penalty area, the referee allowed play to continue.
As a result, Liverpool regained the upper hand. Luis Diaz (82′) initially had no luck with a technically difficult volley, but after a through ball from Naby Keita the Colombian rounded Odysseas Vlachodimos and shot in the 87th minute to make it 3-1. In injury time, the Greek goalie had to intervene again.
English champions Manchester City and Atlético remained goalless in their first European Cup clash before the break. A Kevin de Bruyne free-kick in the 56th minute, which goalkeeper Jan Oblak scraped out of the bottom right corner, was the best opportunity for coach Pep Guardiola’s side.
De Bryune then had his goal 14 minutes later after substitute Phil Foden set the Belgian up perfectly with a pass through Reinildo Mandava’s legs. Another De Bruyne attempt went unrewarded in the 73rd minute because a leg got in the way in front of the goal.
If they advance, Manchester will face Chelsea in the semi-finals or Real Madrid with David Alaba, who play each other on Wednesday. Liverpool would face the winner from Villarreal against Bayern Munich.
Source: Nachrichten
