Liverpool see off spirited Inter to put one foot in Champions League quarters

Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L) celebrates with Liverpool’s French defender Ibrahima Konate after scoring during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Inter Milan and Liverpool at the Giuseppe-Meazza (San Siro) stadium in Milan, on February 16, 2022. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

Liverpool put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday with a 2-0 win at Inter Milan which came after a hard-fought encounter at a bubbling San Siro.

Goals from Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah in the last quarter of an hour gave Liverpool a commanding lead ahead of the last-16 second leg at Anfield in three weeks’ time.

The result was harsh on Italian champions Inter, who dominated the contest in front of a passionate home crowd for long periods after the break and struck the woodwork through Hakan Calhanoglu in the 16th minute.

However they could not find their way past a Liverpool backline impeccably marshalled by Virgil van Dijk and were punished late on by a Reds team who have now won their last seven matches in all competitions.

The last eight now looks a step too far for Inter after making the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in a decade.

Simone Inzaghi’s side started with all the enthusiasm expected of a team back in the knockouts after such a long time away and Lautaro Martinez got the crowd on their feet in the fifth minute with a long range effort which flew just wide.

Liverpool responded almost immediately and established territorial dominance, with a Salah shot well blocked and Thiago Alcantara shooting over from the edge of the box.

However it was Inter who had the best chance of the half through Calhanoglu, who after being fed by the rampaging