Liverpool withstand PSG comeback to prevail 3-2

Liverpool FC blew a 2-0 lead before coming back to win 3-2 against a Paris Saint-Germain side that appeared at times to be overwhelmed by the setting and the occasion in the 2018-2019 Champions League opener.

The Reds, meanwhile, posted their sixth straight victory in all competitions to the delight of the 54,000-strong crowd at Anfield here on Tuesday, reports Efe.

After a quiet opening 15 minutes, PSG began to assert themselves and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson bobbled a shot by Neymar before handling Edinson Cavani's shot on the rebound.

But as the visitors grew bolder on the attack, their defenders grew careless and Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge exploited the weakness to put the home side up 1-0 in the 30th minute.

Five minutes later, when a clumsy foul by Juan Bernat against Georginio Wijnaldum resulted in a penalty for Liverpool, captain James Milner stepped to the spot and converted to make it 2-0.

But the two-goal advantage lasted only until the 40th minute, when a botched clearance by Liverpool's Andrew Robertson led to an easy goal for PSG's Thomas Meunier.

Neither side was very effective in the early stages of the second half and the first noteworthy sequence came only in the 57th minute, when Liverpool's Mo Salah saw a goal disallowed after the referee ruled that he had fouled PSG keeper Alphonse Areola.

With less than 10 minutes left, Salah gave away the ball in his own end and Neymar delivered a perfect cross to Kylian Mbappe who got the equalizer.

Mbappe went from hero to villain in the 93rd minute with a giveaway that Roberto Firmino turned into the winning goal for Liverpool, who sit atop Group C.

--IANS

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