A roundup of Thursday’s quarterfinal second-leg fixtures in the UEFA Europa League…
Liverpool* 4-3 (5-4 agg.) Borussia Dortmund
Wow. Just…wow. What have we just witnessed? Let’s start from the very beginning…
[ MORE: “You’ll Never Walk Alone” — A Liverpool-Dortmund duet ]
There have been better starts to games in the stories history of Liverpool, that much is for certain. From a fairly comfortable position, 1-1 after the first leg with a vitally important away goal, to 3-1 down on aggregate with two away goals shipped inside the second leg’s first 10 minutes.
Well that didn't take long... Mkhitaryan finishes off a brilliant Dortmund counter to take a 2-1 agg. lead. #LFCBVB https://t.co/yW2WZRXzHa
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 14, 2016
Reus starts another counter, feeds Aubameyang perfectly to make it 2-0 Dortmund inside 9 minutes. Wow! #LFCBVB https://t.co/r3AD6DidIA
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 14, 2016
The second half began much more positively than the first for Liverpool. Less than three minutes into the final 45, and Divock Origi pulled one back for the hosts, with credit to Emre Can for that delightful through ball.
Lovely combination play leads to Divock Origi's goal to get Liverpool back in the tie. Watch now on @FS1! #LFCBVB https://t.co/hHANW5Rehf
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 14, 2016
That lifeline was thought to be short-lived, though, as Marco Reus made it 3-1 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate with three away goals for Der BVB less than 10 minutes later.
Hummels plays in Reus beautifully to put Liverpool to the sword with Dortmund's third away goal. #LFCBVB https://t.co/A4XlB0Pxz3
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 14, 2016
And then, things got really, really real for Dortmund. Philippe Coutinho pulled one back in the 66th minute and Mamadou Sakho pulled the Reds back to 4-4 on aggregate, within a single goal of advancing to the semifinals, with 12 minutes of regular time remaining.
Liverpool done? Not so fast! Coutinho brings the Reds within 2 goals against Dortmund! #LFCBVB https://t.co/9MvvcGGz5r
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 14, 2016
What. A. Game! Sakho's header off the corner makes it 3-3 on the night. Dortmund lead the tie on 1 away goal #LFCBVB https://t.co/HLhROlCx9k
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 14, 2016
So close, yet still oh so far from glory for Liverpool (again), right? Wrong, because Dejan Lovren — yes, Dejan Lovren — was ready to be a hero and send the Reds through to the Europa League semifinals from just about the unlikeliest of circumstances. Istanbul in 2005 it was not, but one of the most exciting, captivating and most dramatic games of football I’ve ever witnessed, it absolutely was. Take it away, Dejan…
COMEBACK = COMPLETE. https://t.co/G1mUEJUMOn
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 14, 2016
Elsewhere in Europa League
Sevilla* 1-2 (3-3 agg. — 5-4 PKs) Athletic Bilbao
Sparta Prague 2-4 (3-6 agg.) Villarreal*
Shakhtar Donetsk* 4-0 (6-1 agg.) Braga
