Nunez scores only goal of the match as Liverpool edge out Leipzig in enthralling Champions League battle

Photo: Stephen Gormley (Red Eye Photo Agency)

Darwin Nunez scores only goal of the match to secure 1-0 victory for Liverpool over Leipzig in Champions League group stage

This was the first competitive match between these two clubs. The atmosphere was cracking on a chilly night in the beautiful city of Leipzig with over 45,000 in the stadium in the eastern side of Germany.

Leipzig started off like they meant business putting pressure on Liverpool players with Trent Alexander losing the ball numerous times in the first twenty minutes.

Kelleher was the busier of the goalkeepers having to make two or three decent saves for the away side. Openda had the ball in the back of the net after 25 minutes but his shot into the top corner of Liverpool’s net was chopped off due to offside. Liverpool finally started playing themselves into the game with Trent finding his passes from a deeper position than usual.

Against the run of play Liverpool managed to take the lead after 27 minutes. Salah headed the ball down to the far post and Darwin Nunez tapped it in from a yard out to make it 1-0 on the night to Liverpool.

For the rest of the half Liverpool looked comfortable. The English side then came close to being awarded a penalty when Nunez went down in the box. However the referee told him to get up and a VAR check agreed with the referee.

In the second half Liverpool started quickly and Gakpo somehow failed to make it 2-0 from just five yards out when his shot was blocked on the goal line after a dreadful mix-up between two defenders. Another great move from Liverpool with just over 20 minutes to go ended with Mac Allister having a shot from 20 yards out only for it to hit the crossbar and go over.

Five minutes later Kelleher made two great saves to keep Liverpool ahead, one with his leg and the other that he tipped over the bar. In the 82nd minute the German side thought they had equalised. However for a second time in the match Openda’s effort was ruled offside.

Liverpool held on for their third win in European football this season to leave them on nine points in second place to fellow English side Aston Villa. For Arnie Slot it is 11 wins out of 12 to continue his dream start to the season. With Arsenal and Man City coming up in the league and Leverkusen and Real Madrid in the Champions League the real tests are yet to come.