Milan: Liverpool took a firm grip on their Champions League tie with Inter Milan as late goals from Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah earned them a 2-0 victory at a deflated San Siro in their last-16 first leg on Wednesday.
Inter had the better of the first-half chances, but Juergen Klopp's men were resilient if not at their very best as they comfortably held the hosts at bay before inflicting two damaging blows on their opponents.
Having struggled to create many opportunities, Klopp rang the changes in the second half, and one of those substitutes came up trumps - Firmino flicking home from a corner to break the deadlock in the 75th minute.
With their resistance broken, the errors started to creep in for Inter and Salah pounced when they failed to clear a long ball into the box to put the game to bed seven minutes from time.
Even with the away goals rule no longer in force, the victory puts the 2019 Champions League winners in a commanding position ahead of the return leg on March 8 at Anfield.
Liverpool have won all seven of their Champions League matches this season, extending what is their longest ever winning run in Europe's elite club competition.
Inter, back in the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in a decade, started brightly in front of a raucous crowd, unhindered by their reduced numbers as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.
Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez shot wide early on from distance, before Hakan Calhanoglu went even closer, firing against the crossbar when afforded too much time in the penalty area.
Liverpool had plenty of efforts at goal in the first half, but struggled to create that killer opening, with Sadio Mane's header from a free-kick that went just over as close as they came.
There was not much improvement after the break from Liverpool, with Inter's final pass deserting them when it mattered most.
The hosts' wastefulness proved costly as Firmino struck to silence the frustrated San Siro, flicking home Andy Robertson's corner. It was his 11th goal as a substitute for Liverpool in all competitions and no player has scored more from the bench for the Reds under Klopp.
Salah, aided by a slight deflection, stroked home the second after Virgil van Dijk had knocked down Trent Alexander-Arnold's long ball to seal the win.
The Egyptian has scored in each of his last eight away appearances in the Champions League, the second-longest ever such run by a single player, after Cristiano Ronaldo between 2013 to 2015.
It was not vintage Liverpool, but they got the job done. This is this sixth time they have won the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie away from home and they have progressed from each of the previous five.
Bayern Munich midfielder Kingsley Coman struck in the 90th minute to snatch a 1-1 draw at Salzburg in Wednesday's other last-16 first leg.
The Austrian side took the lead midway through the first half with a goal on the counterattack from Chukwubuike Adamu.
Adamu, 20, had come on in the 12th minute after starting striker Noah Okafor went off injured.
But Frenchman Coman, who struck the winning goal for Bayern in the 2020 Champions League final, ensured the six-time winners left with a draw when he appeared at the far post to meet a Thomas Mueller header and tuck the ball into the net from close range.
