Champions League: Van Dijk heads Liverpool to dramatic late win over Atletico in opener

Liverpool, Sep 18 (IANS) Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk powered home a stoppage-time header to snatch a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in a pulsating Champions League group-stage opener on Wednesday night at Anfield.

The Dutchman rose highest to meet a corner in the 92nd minute, sealing the points just as the game seemed destined for a draw after Marcos Llorente’s brace had pulled the visitors back from two goals down.

Moments later, Atletico manager Diego Simeone was shown a red card after clashing with the crowd in a fiery ending.

Liverpool had begun at breakneck speed, scoring twice before the six-minute mark. Andy Robertson opened the account in the fourth minute, turning in Mohamed Salah’s free-kick after it ricocheted off him and looped past a stranded Jan Oblak. Salah then doubled the lead moments later, bulldozing through three Atletico defenders after a neat one-two with Ryan Gravenberch before finishing crisply into the far corner.

Atletico, however, clawed their way back. Llorente struck just before half-time with a clinical finish to cut the deficit. He returned in the 81st minute with a thunderous volley that took a deflection on its way into the net, levelling the scores and evoking memories of his double at Anfield in 2020, which knocked Liverpool out of the competition.

“Marcos likes this stadium, he repeated a fantastic performance here,” Simeone said afterwards. “I think our spirits are high. We lost in the end, sometimes it’s your turn to lose, that’s what happened today.”

But Liverpool’s trademark resilience came to the fore yet again. Having already won four Premier League matches this season with goals inside the final 10 minutes, Van Dijk’s late intervention extended the habit.

“We kept pushing,” Van Dijk said. “We found a way again. I’m glad I got the winner. You have to keep going and show the resilience we have been showing for many years. It was another great European night here. We have shown many times that we are capable of doing it, and today I am the lucky one with the winner.”

Robertson, while delighted with the victory, urged his team to rediscover efficiency. “It’s a great thing to keep going right to the end, but when you are 2-0 up and playing so well it should have been a more comfortable night,” the left-back said.

The match also marked the debut of British record signing Alexander Isak, who arrived from Newcastle United on deadline day for £125 million. The Swedish striker lasted 58 minutes, flashing one shot wide late in the first half before sending another straight at Oblak.

Liverpool dominated statistically, firing 20 shots to Atletico’s 10, but Salah also struck the post with a close-range chance that nearly proved costly. Still, Arne Slot’s men extended their run of dramatic victories as they seek to build on last season’s strong league-phase showing, which ended with a last-16 defeat to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.

--IANS

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