Liverpool progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League as Group E winners following a 2-0 victory over FC Salzburg in Austria.
Two goals in 100 second-half seconds from Naby Keita and Mohamed Salah proved to be the difference between the two sides, who both had a chance of progression heading into the encounter at the Red Bull Arena.
The game could have been different though had the hosts taken one of their six attempts on goal during the first-half, with the forward duo of Hwang Hee-Chan and Erling Braut Haaland proving to be a handful for the Reds' defence.
They were punished for failing to find their clinical edge as two strikes in quick succession completely changed the complexion of the tie.
Keita's header from close range was followed by Salah's finish from an almost impossible angle to ensure the defending champions would enter the round of 16, while Salzburg drop into the Europa League.
Liverpool made three changes from the side that won easily at Bournemouth in the Premier League. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane all came back into the starting line-up while Keita maintained his spot in midfield.
Despite Jurgen Klopp opting for his strongest-looking XI, an electric atmosphere proved to be the spark for a quick Salzburg start.
Virgil van Dijk had to react on two occasions inside the opening minute to deny both Hee-Chan and Haaland opportunities to go through one-on-one.
The strikers were joined by the midfield in posing a significant threat from the hosts and Enock Mwepu's fierce effort from outside the area was well held by Alisson moments later.
It wasn't all one-way traffic though and Salah had Liverpool's first effort on goal inside the first five minutes. He connected with a lofted ball forward from Dejan Lovren but Salzburg goalkeeper Cican Stankovic did well to make the save from close range.
The home side were willing to fight fire with fire and Salzburg's frantic start almost resulted in another goal with eight minutes on the clock. Hee-Chan and Takumi Minamino combined in a slick passing move inside the area but both were denied from close range by the Liverpool stopper.
The fire died down on a bitterly cold night on the German border and the visitors found themselves growing into the game after the fast-paced opening exchanges. Neat footwork from Mane forced Stankovic into a save and Alexander-Arnold's shot on the follow-up ended up high over the crossbar.
Salzburg continued to pose a threat though and the talented Haaland managed to get the better of Lovren with 25 minutes played. His low, driven strike from a tight angle inside the area was well held by Alisson in what proved to be the best chance of the contest up until that point.
The game continued to be an end-to-end affair at the half hour mark and an uncharacteristic mistake from Salah wasted a great opportunity for the Reds to go ahead. Keita found the forward unmarked on the counter attack but he could only scuff his shot well wide of the net.
In a fearless first-half showing, Mwepu demonstrated how he was unafraid to try his luck from distance as they break approached. His first-time shot from 35 yards out drove through traffic and into the arms of the Liverpool keeper.
In stoppage time, it was the turn of the visitors to come within inches of opening the scoring. This time Salah found Keita inside the area and the midfielder looked to loft the ball over Stankovic from close range. As had been the case throughout the first 45 minutes, the goalkeeper did well to make the save.
The half-time break somehow came with the score level at 0-0. There were a total of nine shots on target with the home side seeing twice as many as their opponents, but neither could find the back of the net.
The break also saw Napoli 3-0 up in their home tie to Genk, meaning it was imperative that Liverpool left with at least a point to ensure their European campaign continued.
Salah's poor finishing carried over into the second-half. Mane was the latest to provide the forward with a chance from close range but he hit his shot over the crossbar under little pressure. There was a case to be made that offside would have ruled it out in a VAR check anyway.
Moments later, Salah failed to find the net again. Although, this time, it could have been put down to fantastic goalkeeping from Stankovic.
A through ball was deflected into the path of the Liverpool man who looked to round the keeper at the edge of the area. The Salzburg stopper was alert though and prevented Salah getting any closer as he pushed the ball away from his feet.
At the other end, the home side continued to look dangerous and Haaland was presented with another great chance to strike. He drove into the box on his preferred left side but struck the side netting.
In the 56th minute, the deadlock was finally broken.
Salzburg were prone to the counter attack and that proved to be their downfall. Andy Robertson connected with Alexander-Arnold's cross-field ball to play in Mane. He avoided the tackle and Stankovic's decision-making let him down on a night where he had been so solid prior.
He rushed out to close down the forward who dinked in a cross for Keita to meet. His header was perfected placed between three Salzburg defenders to find the back of the net.
Salzburg's nerves began to show and despite missing multiple chances throughout the course of the game, Salah took his hardest chance 100 seconds after Liverpool took the lead.
He connected with a lofted pass down the line and a poor choice from Stankovic again proved costly. The Liverpool winger managed to round the goalkeeper and direct the ball into the net from virtually the baseline of the pitch.
With those goals, the result was secured and Salzburg looked shaky when they had previously been confident with the scoreline at 0-0. The loud atmosphere at the Red Bull Arena turned to nerves, something which seemed to reflect to those on the pitch.
The hosts had little choice but to put an emphasis on attack and Hee-Chan had another shot saved by Alisson as the game entered the final 20 minutes of normal time - that proved to be their last real chance of finding the net.
A game that started with an intense pace ended in the opposite fashion.
Salzburg showed intent prior to Liverpool's opener but lacked the finishing touch of their opponents and will now enter the Europa League.
Liverpool meanwhile progressed as group winners and will be a top seed in the round of 16 draw.
Match highlights
Tuesday's Champions League scores
- Napoli 4-0 Genk
- Salzburg 0-2 Liverpool
Liverpool and Napoli progress
- Ajax 0-1 Valencia
- Chelsea 2-1 Lille
Valencia and Chelsea progress
- Benfica 3-0 Zenit
- Lyon 2-2 RB Leipzig
Leipzig and Lyon progress
- Dortmund 2-1 Slavia Prague
- Inter 1-2 Barcelona
Barcelona and Dortmund progress
Opta facts
- Liverpool have now progressed from all three of their Champions League group stages under manager Jürgen Klopp; they had been knocked out at this stage in both of their last two group stages in the competition before the German’s arrival (2009-10 and 2014-15).
- FC Red Bull Salzburg’s 16 goals scored is the most by a side to be eliminated from their Champions League group since Chelsea also scored 16 but finished third in 2012-13; today was the only one of Salzburg’s six Champions League matches in 2019-20 that they failed to score in.
- Liverpool kept a clean sheet in an away Champions League game for the first time in 11 such matches, having conceded 18 goals in their previous 10 away games in the competition before tonight.
- Salzburg have lost back-to-back home games in European competition for the first time since October 2016 (three in a row); they were unbeaten in 19 home European games before losing to Napoli in October and Liverpool tonight.
- Excluding qualifying games, English sides are unbeaten in 18 meetings with Austrian clubs in major European competition (W14 D4), with Liverpool winning both games against Salzburg this campaign.
- Mohamed Salah has been involved in 27 Champions League goals for Liverpool (19 goals, 8 assists) - only Lionel Messi (28) has been involved in more since the Egyptian joined the Reds in 2017.
- There were exactly 100 seconds between Naby Keita giving Liverpool the lead and Mo Salah doubling the score against FC Red Bull Salzburg.
- There were nine shots on target in the first half of this match, the most in the first half of a Champions League game without a goal being scored since Schalke v Manchester United in April 2011 (10).
