Reds reach knockout stages of Europa League

Liverpool defeated Bordeaux 2-1 on Thursday at Anfield, moving into first place in Group B of the UEFA Europa League and clinching a spot in the Round of 32.

Liverpool can top Group B with a win or draw against FC Sion on December 10 in Switzerland.

Bordeaux’s loss ended its hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds.

What happened?

Liverpool and Bordeaux played to their normal standards, and there only was going to be one outcome in such a situation. However, the game didn’t transpire exactly as we expected.

Bordeaux out-passed (376 completed to 306) and had more possession (53 percent) than Liverpool but rarely did anything dangerous with the ball. Bordeaux’s lone goal came in the 33rd minute off an indirect free kick from inside Liverpool’s penalty area that goalkeeper Simon Mignolet conceded by holding onto the ball for almost three times as long as the six seconds he is allowed. Henri Saivet converted the chance with an accurate strike, but Bordeaux couldn’t hold off Liverpool’s furious response.

Christian Benteke earned a penalty kick shortly after Saivet scored, and James Milner dispatched the spot-kick with a captain’s authority in the 38th minute.

Benteke’s big night only became more eventful

Benteke previously had one goal disallowed and missed two more clear-cut chances, but he earned his reward on the stroke of half-time when he expertly controlled a cross and fired home a well-taken goal from 18 yards out.

Benteke appeared to score another goal in the 53rd minute, but the referee’s assistant disallowed it because the Belgian pushed a defender in the build-up.

The mildly controversial decision didn’t phase Liverpool, which maintained its mental, physical, technical and tactical advantages through the closing stages.

Bordeaux posed a slight bit of late danger, but Kolo Toure’s and Mignolet’s quick reflexes prevented the visitors from snatching a point.

Why the outcome?

Liverpool has more talent and is in a better moment than Bordeaux. The French club sits 13th in the Ligue 1 (French first division) standings and only has won once in 11 road games this season.

Liverpool’s new attitude under manager Jurgen Klopp has carried it to its fifth win in its last six games in all competitions.

Klopp selected a strong starting 11, brought regulars off the bench and enjoyed the fruits of his work. The Reds carried out his tactical orders, played skillfully and with plenty of energy.

Mignolet’s mental hiccup blotted the scoreline, but Liverpool showed good character by quickly overturning the deficit and seeing out the game with little trouble.

The statistics and one-goal margin of victory don’t reflect how comfortably Liverpool dealt with Bordeaux.

Key moment

Benteke’s goal gave the Reds a major boost before halftime. They charged out of the tunnel in the second half and nearly scored twice in the first 10 minutes after the break.

Had the teams went into the tunnel at 1-1, the second half might have played out differently. Benteke’s goal provided a timely confidence boost that proved decisive.

Telling statistics

Not only is James Milner Liverpool’s stand-in captain (in Jordan Henderson’s absence). He also is its man-on-the-spot. Liverpool hadn’t earned a penalty kick since last season, and we weren’t sure what Klopp’s order of spot-kick takers looks like. Milner answered that question and celebrated his first penalty-kick goal in almost four years.

Source: NESN

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