Liverpool vs. Real Madrid - Football Match Report - February 21, 2023 - ESPN

Real Madrid turned on the class in a comprehensive, come-from-behind 5-2 win over Liverpool in their Champions League round-of-16 first leg at Anfield on Tuesday night as both Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema netted a pair of goals.

The rematch of last year's final — won by Madrid — was a thriller, with the 14-time champions scoring five unanswered goals after going down 2-0 to put qualification for the quarterfinals on an almost certain track.

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«We dedicate this victory to our honorary club president Amancio Amaro [who died on Tuesday],» Benzema said after the match. «This victory is for him. We showed personality, scored goals. We want this Champions League.

»It was a beautiful game. We didn't start well. After 15 minutes, we saw Real Madrid. Football is difficult always. They started the game better than us, backed by the support of their fans. We knew we had to do more, and we did it until the end."

A riveting first half saw Liverpool jump out to a two-goal lead with a fabulous flicked-on finish from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah's strike from close range after a laughable blunder by Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois.

The visitors cut into the deficit before the half-hour through Vinicius, who cut to his right in the penalty area and curled a perfect, low shot past Alisson to make it 2-1.

Another shocking ball from a goalkeeper led to Madrid's second, as Alisson's pass out of the back was mishit and bounced off Vinicius, looped up over the Liverpool keeper and rolled into the net to level the score before the break.

Despite the slow start, early second-half goals from Eder Militao and Benzema staked Madrid to a shocking 4-2 lead before the hour mark, hushing the