◤UEFA Champions League◢ Mohamed Salah's rapid-fire record breaking hat-trick off-the bench propels Liverpool to a 1-7 away demolition of Rangers..

2022-10-13 11:34

◤UEFA Champions League◢ Mohamed Salah




The Egyptian King strikes again! Liverpool hammered Rangers in the matchday 4 of the 2022/23 season UEFA Champions League Group A Group Stage game away at Ibrox on Wednesday.


In the first half, the unmarked Arfield strucked successfully against the run of play to give the home side an early lead. As the saying goes, humiliation is the sweetest revenge onto the injured's aggresor, and this just typified through the Premier League giants. Subsequently, Firmino headed Tsimikas' corner into the net and kickstarted his side's counterattack. In the second half, Firmino emulated Arfield's methods as the Reds began to reverse the situation. After that, Núñez easily scored. Later, Salah, who came off the bench, broke the record by completing a hat-trick in a short period of time. Before the end, Elliott, who was still overwhelming, sliced through the opponents again. In the end, Liverpool slaughtered Rangers with a 1-7 away thrashing. The embarrassed Rangers who has not taken any point is rooted to the bottom of the table at the moment; while second-placed Liverpool stands a good chance to progress to the next stage with 9 points.



First Half



In the 5th minute, Scott Arfield passed from the frontcourt. Liverpool's old boy Ryan Kent quickly followed up, got the ball,  cut inside, took a few steps and then fired a right-footed shot from outside of the penalty area. However, his shot just slightly breezed off the upper right corner of the crossbar.


In the 17th minute, Ryan Jack delivered a straight pass near the center circle. Scott Arfield quickly followed up, took a few steps and then fired across a helpless Alisson into the bottom left corner of the net rapidly with his right-foot from outside the penalty area. Ranger broke the deadlock early and took a 1-0 lead!


7 minutes later, Liverpool got a corner. Kostas Tsimikas took the corner and crossed it into the penalty area. Firmino rose high at a very close distance on the right post after shaking off the opponent's captain James Tarvenier and headed into the net successfully, Liverpool quickly equalized Rangers to 1-1!


In the 41st minute, Conner Goldson made a horizontal pass near the center circle. Kent quickly followed up, got the ball and dribbled into the left side of the penalty area before volleying with his right foot. but his shot was blocked off for a corner by Ibrahima Konaté. Fashion Sakala immediately took the corner for Rangers and crossed it into the penalty area. After stopping the ball, Arfield unleashed a left-footed half-volley from the middle of the penalty area, but his shot was blocked by Fabinho.


At the end of the first half, the two sides temporarily entered halftime having tied each other to a 1-1 draw.



Second Half


Both teams changed sides as the game continued. In the 48th minute, Firmino made a horizontral pass from the right, Harvey Eliott quickly followed up, took the ball, then cut inside and dribbled into the right side of the penalty area before firing a left-footed volley, but his shot was blocked by another of his old-teammate Ben Davies. One minute later, Liverpool got a free kick. Tsimikas took the free kick and shot with his left foot directly from outside the penalty area, however the attempt flew high out of the pitch.


In the 55th minute, Joe Gomez made a low cross from the right into the penalty area. Roberto Firmino, emulating Arfield, singlehandedly dashed into a very close distance in front of the left post and pushed the ball into the bottom left corrner of net against an outrushing Alan McGregor with his left foot. Liverpool come from behind to lead 1-2! This is the fifth goal that the red-hot Brazil international has scored for the Reds across three consecutive games!


In the 66th minute, Fabio Carvalho made a straight pass from the front. Firmino quickly followed up and then cuts back a horizontal pass from the outside of the penalty area, after picking up the ball the dribbled into the left of the penalty area, Darwin Núñez unleashed a low driven right-footed shot into the bottom right corner of the net past a helpless McGregor, Liverpool extends its lead to 1-3!


Two minutes later, the Reds head coach Jürgen Klopp sent Mohammed Salah on to replace Núñez which would foreshadow a record breaking moment of the game.


In the 71st minute, Thiago made a through lobbed pass near center circle. After beating the offside trap successfully, Mohammed Salah quickly followed up, stopped the ball and attempted to push it past the outrushing McGregor from the center of the penalty area. However this shot was blocked by the latter's legs. Soon after, Andy Robertson crossed into the penalty area from the left, Elliott quickly followed up and then volleyed with his left foot in the center of the penalty area, but his shot was wide off the left post.


In the 75th minute, Liverpool made a fatal fast counterattack. Diogo Jota intercepted and made a horizontal pass from the front, after picking up the ball and cuts back to the edge of the left byline, Salah fired a left-footed volley from a difficult angle into the bottom left corner of the net, Liverpool expands their lead again to 1-4!


After 5 minutes, Jota made a straight pass from the right, Salah quickly followed up, stopped the ball, adjusted his angle and then unleashed a left-footed shot on the right side of the penalty area into the bottom right corner of the net to make it a double. Liverpool expanded its lead yet again to 1-5!


Before everyone could mesmerize with the situation yet, Liverpool came again. Jota made a horizontal pass from the front, Salah quickly followed up, took the ball, dribbled into the right side of the penalty area and then shot with his left foot into the bottom left corner of the net past a helpless McGregor who could only ballwatch to complete his hat trick! Rangers 1-6 Liverpool! According to official statistics, Mohammed Salah, who took only 6 minutes and 12 seconds to complete his hat-trick after coming off the bench, broke the Champions League record by becoming the fastest player to score a hat-trick in the history of the competition!


Likewise, Diogo Jota, who staged a hat-trick of assist for the same goalscorer, should also be praised for his outstanding efforts!


In the 87th minute, Salah made a horizontal pass from the left side of the penalty area. Jota quickly followed up and attempted to dribble past McGregor from the middle of the penalty area at a very close distance in front ot the goal, only for the latter to tackle off his attempt not far away. After picking up the loose ball, Harvey Elliott fired a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner of the net from the right side of the penalty area. However, his goal was swiftly ruled invalid for being in an offside position. The VAR Assistant Referee immediately intervened. After a VAR video playback, the referee accurately overturned Elliott's offside call and ruled the goal vaild. Liverpool completed the onslaught with a 1-7 massive lead! Wonderkid Eliott finally got his first goal in the Champions League!


As the final whistle is blown, Liverpool got a massive confidence boost ahead of their weekend's clash against Manchester City in the Premier League with a 1-7 away demolition of Rangers, they also inadvertently slapped the face of Scottish Premiership giants' head coach Giovanni Van Bronckhorst hard who arrogantly remarked "We'll attack the lights out of Liverpool" few days ago!