Liverpool refused to give up. They absolutely refused to surrender. Against all the odds, and against a fine Borussia Dortmund side, Liverpool produced one of the greatest halves of football in their long and distinguished history, playing with touch and belief, scoring four times to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League. Dejan Lovren picked the right moment to score his first goal of the season.
It was manic, deafening and amazing to behold. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave Dortmund an early lead, exposing enduring vulnerabilities in defence that Jurgen Klopp still needs to address. Liverpool fought back in the second period, scoring through the outstanding Divock Origi, but Marco Reus again exploited woeful concentration. Philippe Coutinho and Mamadou Sakho set up a frantic finale to Liverpool’s 360th European game and then came Lovren, heading in.
Within ten minutes, Liverpool had found themselves shell-shocked by the quick thinking of their fast-raiding visitors. Dortmund’s multi-talented attack of Mkhitaryan, Shinji Kagawa and Reus supporting Aubameyang were just too good, too clever, too swift. Liverpool were taught a lesson.
Within ten minutes, Liverpool were needing three goals and inspiration from somewhere. Dortmund’s movement was magnificent and relentless as they hammered away at the Liverpool defence. This was the World Cup exit in Bloemfontein 2010 all over again, a superior Germany side exploiting weakness in an English team. Liverpool were as weak in the first half as they were robust in the second period.
This was Dortmund at their best, seizing on errors, punishing Liverpool and especially Sakho, who endured a chastening opening. After five minutes, Coutinho attempted to play a one-two with Alberto Moreno but they were on different wavelengths. Coutinho was on long wave, Moreno on short wave and Mkhitaryan provided the interference. Dortmund’s No 10 collected the loose ball, raced down the right and shifted the ball inside to Kagawa.
When the ball came in, Sakho played Dortmund’s strike force onside and it required a marvellous save from Simon Mignolet to deny Aubameyang. The ball was spilt, and no Liverpool player had tracked back to fill the gaps, allowing Mkhitaryan to sweep Dortmund ahead. This was their 120th goal of the season. More followed.
Within four minutes, Thomas Tuchel’s team doubled their lead. Roberto Firmino lost the ball and Dortmund sprang into action. Reus, a mix of agility and power, sped forward before lifting the ball over Sakho, again poorly positioned, again culpable.
Aubameyang almost broke the back of Mignolet’s net with the strength of his shot. His acrobatic celebration was almost as eye-catching as his goal — his 37th in 45 appearances this season. Aubameyang embodied Dortmund’s talent and workrate; when Liverpool tried to build, he was immediately around them, harrying, trying to regain possession. In the home dugout, Klopp threw up his hands in frustration.
His team were being outplayed and he was being outwitted by Tuchel. There was too little composure in midfield. Emre Can and James Milner are willing workers but more subtlety was required. Joe Allen could have offered more ball retention but he could also have been blown away by the visiting hurricane. He arrived on the hour, when Dortmund appeared out of sight.
The opening ten minutes made wretched viewing for Klopp. Half an hour earlier, he had stood on the pitch looking over at his former players and their passionate swath of black-and-yellow support in the Anfield Road End. He had highlighted their importance to him in the programme, writing that they “are my friends and I feel blessed to have had them in my life”.
Such was the respect between the clubs that the Dortmund fans largely stayed quiet during a lengthy rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone, and then formed a 96 mosaic to commemorate today’s (Friday’s) 27th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. The minute’s silence was perfectly observed. As is so often the case, a roar shimmering with a cathartic feel greeted the opening whistle.
But sighs soon followed as Dortmund tore through Liverpool. The Kop remained defiant, trying to instil belief in their bemused, breathless players. Klopp urged his team forward. Even with the challenge as daunting as Everest, Liverpool tried to launch their rescue mission.
Nathaniel Clyne charged forward, Adam Lallana teased the ball into the area to Origi, whose shot was diverted to safety by Sokratis Papastathopoulos. Liverpool attacked again. Coutinho and Milner worked the ball to Firmino on the left but Lallana met his cross with a dismal air-shot.
Liverpool were enjoying more of the ball but had to beware being hit on the break. Aubameyang again sprinted through but Sakho was alive to the danger this time. Back came Liverpool, refusing to surrender. Firmino sent a header wide. Coutinho had a shot deflected as the interval approached.
Towards the end of the break, the Kop launched into You’ll Never Walk Alone but there was no Dietmar Hamann coming on to organise midfield, no Steven Gerrard to defy the odds and the opposition. Liverpool still went for it. They soon pulled a goal back after a rapid move, the ball speeding between Can, Milner and Can again, before Origi was sent through. His finish was unstoppable. The Kop celebrated.
The lifeline was soon cut. Mats Hummels had just shown his cynical side, stopping a Coutinho surge with a foul before demonstrating his positive traits with a strong charge. He played the ball through to Reus, who profited from Clyne’s lack of concentration and being played onside by Sakho. Reus’s finish was exquisite, placed firmly past Mignolet.
Klopp sent on Allen and Daniel Sturridge for Lallana and Firmino. Liverpool responded again. After 66 minutes, they scored. Moreno started the move, finding Coutinho, who then took a return pass from Milner. The Brazil playmaker’s finish gave Roman Weidenfeller, the Dortmund goalkeeper, no chance. The Kop cranked up the volume even more. Liverpool believed.
The home side were running on the adrenaline of their fans, flying towards the Kop. Hummels tried to calm his players with a team-talk, gathering them around him in front of a baying Kop as Can received attention. It did not help. Coutinho promptly curled in a corner, Sakho lost Lukasz Piszczek and headed in.
Dortmund’s twitter feed immediately tried to give some advice: “stay calm.” They did not. Lovren ensured that.
Uefa Europa League: quarter-final second leg
Liverpool 4 (Origi 48, Coutinho 66, Sakho 77, Lovren 90+1) Borussia Dortmund 3 (Mkhitaryan 5, Aubameyang 9, Reus 57) (Liverpool win 5-4 on aggregate)
