Liverpool 1-0 Napoli
It was always likely to be a dramatic denouement in Group C.
However, in the end, it was Liverpool who prevailed in the Champions League and Napoli—who finish level on points with the Merseysiders and on goal difference—will be playing in the Europa League when European combat resumes next spring.
Yes, it was mighty close, but the group ultimately went the way many SBOBET fans expected…and the way Champions League 2018 betting odds had largely predicted at the start of the competition.
Highlights of the game
When it mattered, it came down to two big moments.
The first arrived in the 34th minute.
An open game had seen chances for both sides before man of the moment Mohamed Salah, fresh his weekend Premier League hat-trick, deftly got the better of Kalidou Koulibaly and fired through David Ospina’s legs.
A superb finish combined with a far-from-convincing goalkeeping had led to the opening and what would prove to be the only goal of the encounter.
The second was in stoppage time as substitute Arkadiusz Milik was denied by a superb block as Napoli fans behind the goal got ready to acclaim a last-gasp equaliser.
The save, for sure, will be replayed among the Champions League 2018 highlights.
In truth, Liverpool deserved to go through and would have only had themselves to blame after missing a number of gilt-edged chances—Salah, Sadio Mane (a former teammate of Koulibaly at Metz) and Virgil van Dijk the biggest culprits.
Yet, it didn’t matter as last season’s beaten finalists are through to the knockout stages.
Napoli, unbeaten in their other five Champions League group stage matches this season, knew they had to score to keep their hopes alive. However, until Milik late on, they had rarely threatened. Jose Callejon, though, wasted arguably their best opportunity.
Napoli, who had two wins and three draws before the game, had lost when they needed to keep that record intact most of all. Besides, the Partenopei would have been guaranteed a place even with a 2-1 or 3-2 loss.
Liverpool go through in second place behind Paris Saint-Germain, a feat achieved despite losing three away games in their group.
Key statistics
This was Lorenzo Insigne’s 50th appearance in UEFA club competition.
This defeat ended Napoli’s12-match unbeaten run (won eight, drawn four) which stretched back to a 3-1 loss at Juventus in late September.
Although coach Carlo Ancelotti won the Premier League and FA Cup double while in charge of Chelsea in 2010, Napoli have never won a match in England.
This was only the second time a home team has won a match referred by Damir Skomina in his last 11 games. It also ended Liverpool’s run of four defeats in which the Slovenian official has been the man in the middle.
Liverpool have progressed to the knockout stages in successive Champions League campaigns for the first time since 2008-09.
Napoli have not won any of their last seven Champions League away matches, losing five. Their last victory in the competition came against Benfica in December 2016.
Since the start of last season, Liverpool’s James Milner has provided more assists in the Champions League than any other player (nine).
This is the eighth time this season that double footballer of the year Salah has opened the scoring for Liverpool.
Van Dijk’s first-half booking means he will miss the first leg of their Round of 16 tie.
Liverpool are unbeaten in 16 home games in Europe since Jürgen Klopp was appointed in October 2015 (13 wins, three draws) and in their last 19 European home games in total.
Napoli are the eighth club Ancelotti has coached in the UEFA Champions League after Parma, Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, Paris St Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The clubs had met only twice before this season, both in the 2010/11 Europa League group stage.
The game in Naples ended goalless. At Anfield, Ezequiel Lavezzi gave Napoli a first-half lead before Steven Gerrard’s hat-trick in the final 15 minutes secured a dramatic late win for Liverpool.
What’s next?
The draw for the Champions League knockout stages takes place next week.
Before that, however, Liverpool welcome archrivals Manchester United to Anfield in the Premier League. Then, they travel to Wolves a week later.
If they win both games, they are guaranteed to be top of the Premier League table on Christmas Day.
Napoli also have two matches this side of Christmas. They visit Cagliari in Serie A this weekend before a home match against SPAL in the following weekend.
Both clubs are in action again on Boxing Day.
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