Liverpool have it all to do if they are to advance in the Champions League after suffering a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in the last 16 first leg at Rams Park.
Mario Lemina’s early goal delivered the home side victory in Istanbul, with the Reds ruing the opportunities that they wasted both sides of the break and having an equaliser ruled out by VAR. But Galatasaray also had a goal chalked off, while they spurned chances of their own in what was an entertaining encounter for the neutral but Arne Slot’s side must forge a comeback in next week’s second leg at Anfield.
The first half was an open affair, with Liverpool forward Florian Wirtz failing to hit the target after a Galatasaray mistake before the home side profited from their first chance. The Reds’ set-piece weakness was exposed, with Victor Osimhen winning a header from a corner that was powered home by Lemina.
Liverpool had a decent opportunity to equalise when Florian Wirtz was picked out at the back post but his shot was comfortably saved by Uğurcan Çakır in the Gala goal.
The Reds had a couple of efforts on goal shortly in the second half, with Dominik Szoboszlai having a shot saved and Alexis Mac Allister dragging wide.
Galatasaray thought they’d doubled their lead on 62 minutes when Ibrahima Konate got his feet all wrong and Osimhen finished from close range, but the offside flagged went in the visitors’ favour.
Four minutes later, the Turkish giants made a big mistake of their own that allowed Hugo Ekitike in on goal but he was thwarted by Cakir.
Liverpool did have the ball in the back of the net when a scramble ensued from a corner, although VAR intervened as it deemed that the ball struck Konate’s arm.
Ekitike then sent a header over for the Reds while Galatasaray threatened a couple of times in the closing stages. It was a performance that Liverpool will quickly want to forget as they fell to defeat at Rams Park for a second time this season - and must overturn a deficit in next weeks’s return clash.
Little chance with the opening goal but made two big saves afterwards in the first half. Made one decent stop after the break.
1. Girogi Mamardashvili - 6
Little chance with the opening goal but made two big saves afterwards in the first half. Made one decent stop after the break. | Getty Images
Didn't convince in the first half. Crosses were poor and got beat a couple of times in the second period.
2. Joe Gomez - 5
Didn't convince in the first half. Crosses were poor and got beat a couple of times in the second period. | Middle East Images/AFP via Getty
Really shaky in the opening stages of the first half and swiped at thin air when trying to make a clearance that gave Galatasaray a chance. Made a calamitous error but luckily the offside flagged spared his blushes after the break.
3. Ibrahima Konate - 4
Really shaky in the opening stages of the first half and swiped at thin air when trying to make a clearance that gave Galatasaray a chance. Made a calamitous error but luckily the offside flagged spared his blushes after the break. | AFP via Getty Images
Failed to marshal his defence in the first half, typified when getting involved in a miscommunication with Gravenberch. Booked in the second half and couldn't organise the back line.
4. Virgil van Dijk - 5
Failed to marshal his defence in the first half, typified when getting involved in a miscommunication with Gravenberch. Booked in the second half and couldn't organise the back line. | AFP via Getty Images