Under the floodlights at Anfield, Liverpool captained by Virgil van Dijk staged a heart-stopping comeback to beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 in their UEFA Champions League opener. In a match defined by swift momentum shifts and dramatic late goals, the Reds reminded Europe why they thrive under pressure.
The evening exploded into life within six minutes. Mo Salah’s free kick ricocheted off Andy Robertson and into Atletico’s net for an early opener, before the Egyptian forward doubled Liverpool’s lead moments later with a composed finish.
Atletico hit back through Marcos Llorente, who has troubled the Reds before. The Spain international struck twice—first to halve the deficit before halftime, then again early in the second half—to level the score and reignite the visitors’ hopes.
Despite the back-and-forth, Liverpool’s habit of late drama showed no signs of fading. With three minutes of stoppage time on the clock, van Dijk rose highest to nod home a corner and seal a 3-2 victory. The goal marked Liverpool’s fifth stoppage-time winner across all competitions this season.
The emotional scenes that followed saw Atletico coach Diego Simeone shown a second yellow card, while Reds boss Arne Slot—celebrating his 47th birthday—joked about asking UEFA for next year off. “Second year in a row I had to celebrate my birthday on a Champions League night, and second time in a row the players gave me a nice present,” he smiled.
With this rollercoaster night in the books, Liverpool set the tone for their Group B campaign—combining early firepower, resilience in adversity, and heartbreak delivered in classic Anfield style.
Reference(s):
Liverpool edge Atletico Madrid 3-2 on last-gasp goal from van Dijk
cgtn.com
