UCL results: Atalanta beat Liverpool at Anfield

November 26

00:45 2020

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Liverpool, English premier league (EPL) champions, fell to a surprising 2-0 loss to Atalanta at Anfield on Wednesday night.

Liverpool, in the absence of Mohamed Salah who is recovering from COVID-19, never looked like a side ready to score, and that appeared to have given the high-scoring Italian side a glimmer of hope.

Atalanta scored the first through Josip Illicic. The Serbian crept in at the back post to sweep in an Alejandro Gomez’s cross. The diminutive Argentine was also heavily involved in the second goal. His cross led to a struggle in the box and Robin Goosens was on hand to bury the ball in the net.

“We made five changes, it was very important we did that, and in the end it didn’t work out and that is part of the deal. I would do it again,” said Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool coach, after the match.

“(We had) no real rhythm, first half was not a good game at all, they were not good as well. We spoke about it but second half it didn’t look like it (would change) and that is why we changed early.

“A second before we could change they scored the first goal, in a space which we knew they tried to use and we couldn’t defend in that moment.

“We had better football moments but not good enough. If you don’t have a shot on target that is never a good sign.”

On his part, Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta coach, whose side lost 5-0 in the reverse fixture three weeks ago, hailed the win as the club’s most prestigious.

In other matches, Real Madrid defeated Inter Milan 2-0, thanks to a penalty from Eden Hazard and Rodrygo’s last addition. Bayern Munich defeated RB Salzburg 3-1 with Robert Lewandoswki scoring once to move level with Raul on 71 total UCL goals.

RESULTS