Joel Matip’s late header gave Liverpool their first Champions League win this season with a dramatic victory against Ajax at Anfield.
Manager Jurgen Klopp demanded a reaction to the “horror show” of the 4-1 defeat away to Napoli in their opening Group A game and this was certainly a vast improvement, reports the BBC.
Liverpool created plenty of openings and were deservedly ahead after 17 minutes when Mohamed Salah swept home Diogo Jota’s pass.
Ajax had barely threatened but were level 10 minutes later when Mohammed Kudus thumped in an emphatic finish off the underside of the bar after he was played in by Steven Berghuis.
Liverpool created chances in front of The Kop – while Daley Blind missed a great chance to put Ajax ahead late on – before Matip rose to head home from a corner in the closing moments.
And missed chances by Robert Lewandowski on his return to Bayern Munich proved costly as his Barcelona side lost in Germany.
Outplayed in the first half, Bayern blew their Spanish opponents away after the break with goals from Lucas Hernandez and Leroy Sane.
Hernandez headed in at the near post after 50 minutes, before Sane clipped home to seal the win shortly after.
Lewandowski spurned a number of clear openings in an entertaining match.
And in one of the early kick offs, Tottenham conceded two injury-time goals as they slumped to a Champions League defeat against Sporting Lisbon.
Spurs had a number of good chances but could not take them and looked on course to earn a point in Portugal.
However, in the 91st minute Paulinho headed in from Pedro Goncalves’ left-wing corner to put the hosts ahead.
It got better for Sporting as another substitute, Arthur Gomes, hit a fine, low strike to make it 2-0 and hand Spurs their first loss of the season.
Sporting are top of Group D on six points after two victories, with Spurs second on three points.
RESULTS
Sporting 2 -0 Tottenham
Liverpool 2 – 1 Ajax
Bayern Munich 2 – 0 Barcelona
Viktoria Plzen 0 – 2 Inter Milan
B Leverkusen 2 – 0 Atletico
FC Porto 0 – 4 Club Bruges
Marseille 0 – 1 Frankfurt
