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Sports / Football

Liverpool stun Barcelona to reach Champions League final with 4-0 comeback win

Published: 07 May 2019 - 11:59 pm | Last Updated: 02 Nov 2021 - 05:14 am
Liverpool's Belgian striker Divock Origi (R) celebrates after scoring their fourth goal during the UEFA Champions league semi-final second leg football match between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on May 7, 2019. AFP /

Liverpool's Belgian striker Divock Origi (R) celebrates after scoring their fourth goal during the UEFA Champions league semi-final second leg football match between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on May 7, 2019. AFP /

By Simon Evans I Reuters

Liverpool:  Liverpool produced one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history to beat Barcelona 4-0 on Tuesday, overturning a three-goal first-leg deficit and advancing to the final with a 4-3 aggregate victory.

Liverpool will play the winner of Wednesday's other semi-final between Ajax Amsterdam and Tottenham Hotspur with the Dutch side leading 1-0 from the first-leg in London.

Liverpool, without injured strikers Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, took a seventh-minute lead when a poor headed clearance from Jordi Alba fell at the feet of Jordan Henderson, who burst goalwards.

His low shot was parried out by Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen but straight to Divock Origi who slotted home.

The game took a remarkable turn following the introduction of Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum at the break.

The Dutchman drove home a low cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold, which Barca keeper Ter Stegen should have saved, to make it 2-0.

Minutes later Wijnaldum rose to meet a Xherdan Shaqiri cross with a powerful header to make it 3-3 on aggregate.

Liverpool then grabbed an extraordinary fourth goal with a quickly-taken corner from Alexander-Arnold, catching the Barca defence asleep with a low ball that was turned in at the near post by Origi.