2019SL1_SEMI #1 Liverpool v #5 Atletico Madrid

Super League Playoffs SEMI #1 Liverpool v #5 Atletico Madrid
LIV - Roberto Firmino [1] 15’
LIV - Roberto Firmino [2] 53’
LIV - Roberto Firmino [3] 78’
ATM - Yannick Carrasco [2] 87’
2019 SL1 CUP SEMI02 - #1 LIVERPOOL [3-1] #5 ATLETICO MADRID
REGULAR SEASON: MD08: ATM [3-2] LIV; MD22: LIV [1-1] ATM
No one stood up to Liverpool like Atletico this season, a 3-2 win at the Wanda and in case you believed that a fluke, a 1-1 draw at Anfield right in the teeth of a title race. Tonight is a much different setting, a first time for Atletico, while Liverpool crash the semis for the 3rd time, losing to Chelsea in 2016 and Barcelona last season. The Holy Grail Double faces its toughest test tonight.
Liverpool started determined to get the opening goal and in the 15th would make it reality. Roberto Firmino got his first of the playoffs, taking a lead pass from Fabinho at the edge of the midfield circle and after out racing the Atletico backline, buried far corner from 12 yards, an excellent start for Liverpool as the thunderous approval of Anfield roared into the rainy night.
The remainder of the half was a bit ugly as both clubs struggled offensively. Atletico did have golden chance in the 37th, but Morata went over the bar with it, an easy save for Allison in the 30th as Saul’s shot, and Sadio Mane, on target, but quite pedestrian, was about all the final 30 minutes had.
It did not seem like it, but if Liverpool had just absorbed Atletico’s equalizer push, then it was prime time to make 2-0. Little did we know, but in the 53rd Roberto Firmino shed a little more light on the proceedings, thrashing a volley into the net off Mane’s ground cross, as Anfield turned to bedlam.
Try as they might Atletico had very little success getting on the board and even in the sparingly few opportunities that presented, were ultimately squandered with GK Allison not really being tested. Oblak could not say the same and in the 78th, a the last man he wanted to see tonight, Roberto Firmino banked the hat-trick with a beautiful diving header that cleared both Trippier and Oblak on its way to the back of the net.
Now there was raw madness, 3-0 in the semifinal, nearly 80 minutes, Liverpool are going to the final, Anfield stretched the bounds literary description in the enchantment of the moment, surely Atletico were done, for what response can there be to this, but to concede?
Alas no one told Yannick Carrasco this and the problems he caused were not exactly little. By the time the match ended, Carrasco had put up 3/2 shots, putting one in goal in the 87th, a tap in from inside the six yard box as he beat Gomez to the ball. Thankfully for Liverpool that was the extent of the damage done, but they were lucky that was the case, as Atletico dominated the match from the 0-3 kickoff.
A tough loss for Atletico who had reason to be optimistic given their success against Liverpool this season, it was always asking a lot to win a semi here at Anfield though, but it should have been a closer match across all time, not just resembling something quasi-competitive due to a late offensive surge after it was 3-0. Atletico have a lot reasons to feel good about heading into the offseason, but they probably cannot stand pat and expect to improve.
Regardless of the ending, it is still an accomplished victory for Liverpool, not just the manner of tonight’s semifinal, but the entire year. They survived every test in the league season and in the playoffs, after being taken to OT by Valencia in RD16, have wins by an aggregate of 6-2. They are ready for Barcelona.
As luck would have it, Messi and his compatriots will host the 2019 final, the first ever at Camp Nou and 2nd for Spain, (2013 Madrid). It will make things tougher for Liverpool, not having the adoring support of Anfield, but it can’t be about home field advantage now. The ultimate crucible has arrived, it is Barcelona, The Historic Titan of SL1, on their home ground, to attain what even aforementioned Titan has never done: The Holy Grail Double.
If anyone would like to watch the entire game, I will live stream the LIV/BAR Final, Monday March 25 at 0300-GMT, that’s 11pm Sunday 3/24 for my fellow Americans.
I hope it is a grand match fitting of these two giants of the league. Many thanks to all those that have watched!