Liverpool, Tottenham advance to Champions League semis
Credit to Author: Tempo Online| Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2019 11:00:07 +0000
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) – Manchester City’s bid for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies ended in dramatic fashion as Tottenham progressed to the Champions League semifinals on away goals as a pulsating 4-3 win for City on Wednesday was not enough to overturn their 1-0 first leg deficit.
Four goals were scored in a crazy opening 11 minutes as Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva cancelled out two Son Heung-min away goals for Tottenham.
Tottenham Hotspur’s South Korean striker Son Heung-Min (R) scores his team’s second goal past Manchester City’s Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson (Ben STANSALL / AFP)
City finally looked set for the last four when further goals from Sterling and Sergio Aguero put them ahead in the tie for the first time.
But there was a further twist when Fernando Llorente’s controversial goal 17 minutes from time was allowed to stand despite a VAR check for handball by the Spaniard.
VAR intervened again deep into stoppage time to save Spurs once more when Sterling thought he had completed his hat-trick only for Aguero to be ruled offside in the build-up.
Tottenham’s reward is a semifinal clash against Ajax.
LIVERPOOL WINS
In Porto, Portugal, Jurgen Klopp admitted he cannot wait to lead Liverpool into a Champions League semi-final against Barcelona after watching his side crush Porto 4-1 in Portugal on Wednesday to complete a 6-1 aggregate victory in their last-eight tie.
On a wet night at the Estadio do Dragao, Liverpool weathered an early storm against Porto before scoring from their first attempt just before the half-hour, Sadio Mane prodding home for a goal given after a lengthy VAR review.
Already in control of this tie after a 2-0 win at Anfield in the first leg, Liverpool had effectively killed off Porto there and then, but Mohamed Salah, substitute Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk added further goals after the break.
Eder Militao scored a consolation for the hosts 21 minutes from time, but this was another miserable night for them after they lost 5-0 to the same opponents on this ground a year ago.
Liverpool now march on to a clash with Lionel Messi’s Barca, the first meeting of the clubs since a last-16 encounter in 2006/07 that the Reds won on away goals.