Diaz and Salah’s Brilliance Destroys Leverkusen Against Liverpool
Liverpool, the Premier League leaders, continued their impressive form this season with a 4-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League, securing their fourth consecutive win in the competition. The star of the match was Colombian international Luis Diaz, who scored a hat-trick, while Egyptian legend Mohamed Salah provided two assists, lighting up Anfield.
Diaz scored his three goals in the 61st, 83rd, and 90+2 minutes. Dutch international Cody Gakpo added the second goal in the 63rd minute, with Salah playing a key role in both the second and third goals.
The Reds had previously defeated two Italian teams in the competition: Milan (3-1 in Milan) and Bologna (2-0 in Liverpool), and also won 1-0 against RB Leipzig, thus claiming the top spot in their group with 12 points, three ahead of their previous joint leaders, Aston Villa, who will play Club Brugge later tonight.
Liverpool has been preparing well for the upcoming explosive clash against Aston Villa at home next Sunday in the Premier League. Their next Champions League match will also be at Anfield, where they will face defending champions Real Madrid on November 27.
On the other hand, Leverkusen suffered their first loss in the competition after a strong start, defeating Feyenoord 4-0 away and Milan 1-0 at home, but drawing 1-1 with Brest.
Liverpool spoiled the return of their former midfielder and current Bayer Leverkusen manager, Spanish legend Xabi Alonso, to Anfield. Alonso, who played for Liverpool from 2004 to 2009, made 210 appearances for the club and won the UEFA Champions League in 2005, when the English side came from three goals down against Milan to force penalties, where they triumphed, with Alonso playing a crucial role.
Alonso’s return was significant, as he scored the equalizer in the 3-3 draw in the 2005 final, making him one of the club’s iconic figures. His contributions during that period led to speculation that he could one day replace Jürgen Klopp as manager. However, Alonso chose to remain at Leverkusen, prompting Liverpool to hire Dutch manager Arne Slot.
Key Moments of the Match:
The first chance came in the 14th minute when Salah set up Curtis Jones inside the area, but the Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hrádecký made a strong save.
Leverkusen responded through Burkina Faso international Edmond Tapsoba, whose powerful low shot from outside the box was saved by Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher (16’).
The chances slowed down after these attempts until Salah advanced on the right and fired a powerful shot, which Hrádecký saved in two attempts (43’).
In the second half, Liverpool dominated the game, and Cody Gakpo received a pass on the left from Jones, dribbled into the box, and fired a strong shot that was parried by Hrádecký (45+2’).
Salah missed a close opportunity after receiving a pass from Ryan Gravenberch but shot just wide of the left post (58’).
Luis Diaz then put Liverpool ahead in the 61st minute after receiving a low ball from Jones behind the defense, dribbling into the box, and calmly lifting it over the goalkeeper into the net.
Gakpo doubled the lead with a header from close range following a cross from Salah on the right (63’).
Salah continued to set up his teammates, delivering another perfect cross from the right to Diaz, who controlled it with ease before firing it into the net from close range (83’).
Kelleher made several great saves, denying Leverkusen’s substitute striker Patrik Schick (85’), Florian Wirtz (86’), and Robert Andrich (87’).
Diaz completed his hat-trick and wrapped up the win with a fourth goal for Liverpool, following a counter-attack. Substitute Darwin Núñez fired a strong shot that rebounded off Hrádecký, setting up an unmarked Diaz to tap it into the empty net (90+2’).
