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The Liverpool champions battled rookie Leeds, winning with a late goal and Mohamed Salah hat-trick by 4: 3 in a first round match of the 2020/21 season in the English Premier League.
The first half at Anfield Stadium was a veritable goal party, with the champions taking the lead three times, but Leeds, who returned to the elite after 16 years in exile, showed their teeth.
Mohamed Salah scored two goals, and Virgil van Dyke first became a hero for his header goal, but then became a sinner after a mistake.
Jack Harrison and Patrick Bamford brought Marcelo’s “Crazy” Bielsa back into the game, and Mateusz Klich did the same in the middle of the second half. In the 88th minute, however, Liverpool received a second penalty and Salah scored his hat trick.
Up to four goals (two for both teams) were canceled in the match: three for an ambush and one for a violation.
The game started in the best possible way for Liverpool: with an early penalty. Mohamed Salah found a shooting range and the ball hit Robin Koch’s hand, prompting referee Michael Oliver to signal the white spot. The Egyptian relied on brute force in acting and was not wrong.
Leeds, who returned to the elite after 16 years in exile, were not embarrassed, and soon after Elder Costa broke the ball at the net behind Alison Becker. The blow was not recognized correctly due to a slight ambush.
Plus, in the 12th minute, the newcomers officially tied the score! The credit went entirely to Jack Harrison, who stopped the ball phenomenally in midair after a long pass from Calvin Phillips and then dropped three of the hosts’ players, finishing with a spot-on shot in the lower left corner.
Liverpool’s goal was soon disallowed due to an ambush. Sadio Mane cleverly passed Melie, but Andy Robertson’s ambush was correctly detected seconds earlier.
Liverpool regained the lead midway through the first half, when Virgil van Dyke edged past everyone in a corner and scored with a header from the edge of the penalty.
Just before half an hour of play, van Dyke went from hero to sinner. He cleared badly at Patrick Bamford’s feet and the previously wasted forward found the bottom left corner. Interestingly, the guests returned to the game at a time when they were under pressure and Pascal Struke was even able to score a spectacular own goal.
The goal party continued and Salah scored his second goal of the season after just 33 minutes of play. The championship star waited in the second row as he focused on the penalty area, wonderfully “catching” the ball from the air and kicking it behind the defenseless Melie.
Immediately after the break, the hosts pressed and had two good chances. However, Vainaldum’s strong shot hit the goalkeeper, and then van Dyke’s header went over the goal. Within an hour of play, an own goal headed by Trent Alexander-Arnold was canceled due to an ambush.
The hosts remained shaky on defense and in the middle of the second half Leeds drew for the third time today. Mateusz Klich received from Costa in the penalty area and after a great first touch he scored a vertiginous goal diagonally.
Salah had a good chance, but he shot over the bar, and the disappointment in Liverpool’s ranks was already beginning to affect the team’s play and the body language of every player.
Ten minutes before the end of regulation time, van Dyke’s goal was also disallowed, but this time due to a foul in the attack by Curtis Jones. In the 87th minute, Bobby Firmino blew a golden opportunity when he was blocked at the last minute in the penalty area.
60 seconds later, Liverpool already had the right to launch a second penalty for a foul by Rodrigo against Fabinho. Mohamed Salah took responsibility and was not wrong, starting the campaign with a prestigious hat trick.
In added time, Leeds failed to reach real danger, and Salah became Liverpool’s first player since 1988 to start the new season with a hat trick. John Aldridge did that 32 years ago.
Liverpool – Leeds 4: 3
1: 0 Mohamed Salah – 4 ‘, penalty
eleven Jack Harrison – 12 ‘
twenty-one Virgil van Dyke – 20 ‘
2: 2 Patrick Bamford – 30 ‘
3: 2 Mohamed Salah – 33 ‘
3: 3 Mateusz Klich – 66 ‘
4: 3 Mohamed Salah – 88 ‘, penalty
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