Europa League: Liverpool Comeback Stuns Dortmund

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, Sports News Friday, April 15th, 2016

BALTIMORE, MD (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Liverpool incredibly stormed into the Europa League semifinals, securing an improbable over Borussia Dortmund to advance 5-4 on aggregate at Anfield on Thursday.

Jurgen Klopp’s men fought back all night before finally overtaking his former team in stoppage time of the quarterfinal second leg.

A day earlier, Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel had pledged his team would be on the attack at Anfield — and attack they did, finding the net within five minutes through a lightning-quick counter-attack.

Gonzalo Castro’s lobbed pass from the top of the 18-yard box played in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose first-time volley was saved by Simon Mignolet but rebounded to Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who side-footed home from six yards out.

Dortmund didn’t let up and made it 2-0 just five minutes later from another swift counter. Marco Reus’s slide-rule through ball from midfield found Aubameyang racing behind the Liverpool defence, and the Gabon international fired his shot past Mignolet and high into the corner.

Divock Origi had Liverpool on the scoresheet four minutes after the break, collecting an Emre Can through ball and sliding his shot underneath the onrushing Roman Weidenfeller.

Dortmund appeared to have put the tie out of reach in the 57th minute through another crisp counter — Reus wonderfully curling a shot inside Mignolet’s far post, leaving the keeper no chance.

But Philippe Coutinho pulled another goal back in the 66th minute, working a fine one-two on the edge of the box before rifling low into Weidenfeller’s far corner.

Liverpool were within a goal of an epic comeback with 13 minutes remaining. From a corner, Mamadou Sakho, left alone in the box, steered home Coutinho’s bouncing cross amid wild celebrations from the home supporters.

And the scenes got even wilder in stoppage time as Dejan Lovren rose to nod past the helpless Weidenfeller, capping an epic night for Klopp’s Reds.

ESPN