Konate and Van Dijk Lead Liverpool Comeback in Champions League Opener

AC Milan 1 – 3 Liverpool

Liverpool came from behind to beat AC Milan in their first Champions League game of the season – ensuring a positive response to the home defeat to Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

Headers from Ibrahima Konate and Virgil Van Dijk cancelled out Christian Pulisic’s second-minute opener before Dominik Szoboszlai’s second-half tap-in confirmed victory.

Arne Slot may have been dreading an away trip to the San Siro as a first Champions League fixture as Liverpool manager but his side’s composed performance confirmed three points in the new league phase format of the competition.

Milan started strongly as Pulisic picked up Alvaro Morata’s flick and unchallenged drove into the right-hand side of the box before sending a pinpoint finish into the bottom left corner.

Liverpool picked up the pace after a slow first 15 minutes with Ibrahima Konate scoring his first goal in two-and-a-half-years for the equaliser – nodding in a Trent Alexander-Arnold freekick.

Mo Salah hit the bar either side of Konate’s equaliser with Liverpool looking threatening before Virgil Van Dijk scored a near identical header to the first goal – this time from Kostas Tsimikas’ corner.

After the break, Liverpool dominated again with Szoboszlai converting Cody Gakpo’s cross after a lovely run from the Dutchman.

Milan pushed for a reply in the latter stages of the second half but failed to conjure any solid opportunities whilst Liverpool maintained control and spurned a few good counter-attacking chances.

After the disappointing performance against Forest, Slot will be happy that his side bounced back with an impressively dominant showing against a fellow European powerhouse.