Liverpool runs riot on Porto to set up Champions League semi-final against Barcelona

Liverpool ran riot in Porto as it won its Champions League quarter-final 6-1 on aggregate to set up a clash with Barcelona.

Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah scored for the second game running as Liverpool cruised to a 4-1 victory over Porto, sealing a 6-1 aggregate win that sets up a tantalising Champions League semi-final clash with Barcelona.

Leading by two from the quarter-final first leg, the Reds' romp began when Mane struck after 26 minutes of Wednesday's return match at Estadio do Dragao, VAR ruling the Senegal international onside after Salah played him in.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will have been delighted with the way his back four performed as the host tried in vain to turn the tie on its head, Sergio Conceicao's men creating early chances but thereafter finding its attacking waves crashing harmlessly against Liverpool's defensive rocks, with Virgil van Dijk imperious. Eder Militao eventually found a way through, but only after Salah had effectively ended the contest by slotting home Liverpool's second following Trent Alexander-Arnold's superb cross-field pass with 25 minutes remaining.

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Substitute Roberto Firmino and Van Dijk added gloss to the win with goals in the last 13 minutes.

Porto missed several good chances before a simple passing move saw Salah play a chipped ball into the six-yard box, where Mane slid in to score a goal that was initially ruled out for offside before a VAR consultation overturned the decision.

Sadio Mane scored Liverpool's first goal against Porto in the Champions League quarterfinal.

 

After the break, Liverpool put the tie all but out of Porto's reach when Alexander-Arnold split its defence with a low, diagonal pass to Salah, who guided the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net with ease.

Mane rounded Casilla moments later but blazed wide of the target with the goal gaping, and Militao then rose unchallenged to head Alex Telles' out-swinging corner past Alisson.

But Jordan Henderson and Firmino had come off the bench and the pair combined for Liverpool's third, the England midfielder crossing from the right to find his team-mate unmarked in the box before Casillas was beaten with a downward header from close range. With six minutes left, Van Dijk popped up with a simple header at the far post after Mane flicked on James Milner's corner.