Liverpool into quarters despite loss to 10-man Inter

LIVERPOOL, England : Liverpool moved into the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 2-1 aggregate win over Inter Milan despite suffering a 1-0 loss to the 10-man Italian side at Anfield on Tuesday.

After a cagey first half, a superb drive into the top corner from Lautaro Martinez in the 62nd minute put Inter ahead on the night.

But just when they looked capable of springing a surprise, the visitors found themselves down a man after Alexis Sanchez was dismissed for a second yellow card after catching Liverpool midfielder Fabinho.

It was a harsh decision against Sanchez, who had won the ball but caught the Brazilian with his follow through and Inter's bench furiously protested.

The dismissal killed Inter's momentum with Liverpool never looking in danger of conceding again.

After their 2-0 loss at the San Siro, Simone Inzaghi's Inter came to Anfield knowing that they needed to find the perfect balance of defensive security and clinical finishing and they began in confident fashion.

Inter's shape was compact and their movement clever while Liverpool struggled to get into their normal rhythm, perhaps wary of over-committing.

Still, it was the home side who came nearest to taking a first-half lead with Joel Matip heading against the bar and then Virgil van Dijk heading wide from a Trent Alexander Arnold corner.

Hakan Calhanoglu forced Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker into action in the 42nd minute and on the stroke of halftime Trent Alexander-Arnold, finding space on the right, flashed a shot just wide.

Liverpool struck the woodwork again after the interval, with Mohamed Salah hitting the post after Inter keeper Samir Handanovic had rushed out to foil Diogo Jota.

But the game truly came alive when Martinez, having just wasted a