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| The visitors trailed 3-0 in the first half but battled back to 3-3 before Mohamed Salah grabbed the winner midway through the second half of an incredible game at Anfield |
European champions Liverpool gave up a three-goal lead to Austria’s Salzburg before recovering to win 4-3 in an enthralling Champions League Group E match at Anfield on Wednesday.
Liverpool, beaten 2-0 by Napoli in their opening game, quickly took charge, taking the lead in the ninth minute with a beautifully worked goal from Sadio Mane.
Left-back Andy Robertson made it 2-0 in the 25th minute and it looked game over when Mohamed Salah added the third 11 minutes later.
The Austrians, however, gave themselves a lifeline through a magnificently-taken goal from South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan six minutes before the break.
A superb 56th-minute volley from Japanese striker Takumi Minamino, after a cross from the left by Hwang, reduced the deficit further before Anfield was stunned four minutes later.
The impressive Minamino slipped the ball across the face of the goal and 19-year-old substitute Erling Haaland tapped in.
Yet Salah secured the points for Liverpool in the 69th minute, the Egyptian firing home his second goal after a header down from the always-influential Roberto Firmino.
The win left Liverpool second in the group on three points, one behind leaders Napoli who were held to a 0-0 draw at Genk earlier on Wednesday. Salzburg also have three points after thrashing the Belgians 6-2 in their opening game.
In the night’s heavyweight clash in Spain meanwhile, Luis Suarez scored two classy goals to inspire Barcelona to a 2-1 win over Inter Milan and inflict a first defeat on Antonio Conte since he took charge of the Italians.
Inter, who lead Serie A after winning all six of their domestic games under Conte, produced a wonderful first half display and took the lead in the second minute through Argentine forward Lautaro Martinez.
Barca had struggled to get going before halftime but looked more like their usual dominant selves on European nights at the Camp Nou after the break and deservedly pulled level in the 58th minute through a superb swivelling volley from Suarez.
The Catalans then caught Inter out on the counterattack to take the lead in the 84th minute, with captain Lionel Messi feeding Suarez who produced a cool low finish to prompt relieved celebrations among the 86,000 fans in the stadium.
The win takes Barca second in Group F with four points after two games, the same as leaders Borussia Dortmund who won 2-0 at Slavia Prague. Inter have one point.
REUTERS
