Liverpool Secure Top Spot in UCL Group with 2-1 Win Over Lille

Liverpool secured a 2-1 win over Lille to maintain their perfect UEFA Champions League record and wrap up top spot in their group with a game to spare.

Liverpool secured their spot in the Champions League last 16 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over LOSC Lille, extending their impressive home record to 11 consecutive wins in UEFA Champions League group or league phase matches.

The match began with both teams showcasing their intent, as Gabriel Gudmundsson sprinted forward for Lille but ultimately fired off target. Liverpool responded with a warning shot of their own, as Mohamed Salah's curling attempt was comfortably saved by Lucas Chevalier. The pace of the game slowed down thereafter, with both teams maintaining possession but struggling to create clear-cut opportunities.

As the half progressed, Lille's defense made it challenging for Liverpool to find a breakthrough. Kyle Bakker's cross was blocked after sluggish play from Rémy Cabella and Hákon Arnar Haraldsson, while Salah overhit his through ball for Luis Díaz at the other end. The visitors continued to frustrate Liverpool, and Díaz's fizzed ball into the box on the half-hour mark found Salah, who was unable to turn it towards goal.

However, Salah didn't have to wait long for his breakthrough. Kostas Tsimikas dispossessed Jonathan David, and Curtis Jones promptly threaded a perfectly weighted pass through to Salah, who calmly scored his 50th European goal for Liverpool.

Before the halftime break, Mohamed Salah showcased his exceptional skill, latching onto Luis Díaz's long pass and holding off Gabriel Gudmundsson with ease. However, his eventual effort failed to find the target, leaving the score unchanged.

Liverpool created more opportunities after the restart, with Salah placing his attempt wide of the post. Jarell Quansah then met Kostas Tsimikas' free-kick, but his header failed to find the target. Lucas Chevalier made a crucial intervention, rushing out to deny Darwin Núñez a clear scoring chance.

The visitors suffered a setback when Aïssa Mandi received his second yellow card for cynically bringing down Díaz, having been booked earlier for dissent following Liverpool's opening goal. Despite being reduced to ten men, Lille stunned Anfield just three minutes later. Gudmundsson picked out Hákon Arnar Haraldsson, whose shot was blocked by Tsimikas, but Jonathan David pounced on the rebound to score his fifth UEFA Champions League goal this term.

However, Liverpool's lead was restored just five minutes later. Harvey Elliott's strike took a deflection, beating Chevalier and finding the back of the net to give the hosts a crucial 2-1 advantage.

Liverpool stay perfect 💯#UCL pic.twitter.com/xrwVDStbm0

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 21, 2025

Lucas Chevalier continued to impress in goal, making crucial saves to deny Mohamed Salah and Federico Chiesa. However, Liverpool's defense also held strong, with Alexis Mac Allister making a vital intervention to deflect Hákon Arnar Haraldsson's driven shot over the bar.

Liverpool's resilience paid off, as they secured a 2-1 victory that maintained their perfect record in the UEFA Champions League this season. The win also guaranteed top spot in their group with a game to spare, despite Darwin Núñez's late goal being ruled out for offside. Furthermore, Liverpool ended Lille's impressive 21-match unbeaten run across all competitions, leaving Les Dogues 12th in the standings before Wednesday's fixtures.