Villarreal 1 Liverpool 0
This time it was Liverpool who fell to the stoppage time sucker-punch. This semi-final had been lacking drama, incident and occasion – it was Borussia Dortmund in reverse – until Villarreal conjured an unlikely winner in the 92nd minute to leave Jürgen Klopp’s team in need of another Anfield recovery next week.
A stubborn, resolute European away display had looked to keep Liverpool safely on course for Basel, Europa League success and Champions League qualification until they were undone by a flowing counter-attack in the final act. Bruno Soriano swept an inviting pass out to Denis Suárez on the left, the former Manchester City trainee cut in behind Kolo Touré and pulled the ball back for substitute Adrián López to convert into an empty net. It had been a dull semi-final until that point, just as Klopp would have wished it, but the shape of the semi-final changed dramatically.
The Beatles’s ‘Yellow Submarine’, the nickname adopted by Villarreal as they began their remarkable rise up the ranks in Spain, replaced their traditional pre-match anthem at El Madrigal and helped to create a jovial atmosphere. Ringo does not do intimidation. A banner containing the Villarreal crest, 96 and You’ll Never Walk Alone also showed the importance of this week’s inquest verdicts on the Hillsborough disaster has been felt throughout football. But the Spanish club from a town of just over 51,000 inhabitants could not be so accommodating on the pitch as they pursued a first appearance in a European final.
Soriano immediately began dictating play from deep in central midfield and there was a clear purpose from Marcelino’s side in possession as they looked to both wide men, Suárez and Jonathan dos Santos, to stretch Liverpool. But it was the visitors who created the first real chance of the semi-final and should have claimed a valuable away goal inside five minutes.
James Milner released Adam Lallana into space down the right and his low cross deflected perfectly off a home defender into the path of Joe Allen as he arrived in the area. Unmarked, from the penalty spot, the Wales international side-footed tamely straight at Sergio Asenjo. The Villarreal goalkeeper was not tested again before the interval. A big opportunity wasted.
Klopp had started with Roberto Firmino leading the Liverpool attack and without Daniel Sturridge for the third consecutive European game. The decision to omit the England international was justified by Divock Origi’s contribution against Borussia Dortmund and explained here by the need for intelligent movement in the absence of the injured Belgium international. Firmino struggled to vindicate the call in the first half, rarely featuring in the contest but receiving little supply too in fairness. The Brazilian’s contribution and the latest demotion for a big European occasion will not have been lost on Sturridge as he looked on from the substitutes’ bench.
Villarreal were sharp and inventive in possession but frequent attempts to thread a final ball through to Cédric Bakambu or Roberto Soldado were thwarted by the defensive instincts of Dejan Lovren and Touré, Klopp’s preferred replacement for the suspended Mamadou Sakho. But they did have their moments in the goalless first half. Soldado dragged a difficult chance wide from Bruno’s chipped free-kick and went close with a curling shot from the edge of the area.
A vital challenge from Alberto Moreno deflected Mario Gaspar’s shot over after Villarreal had again looked to get in behind the Liverpool left-back. Their best chance fell to Tomás Pina after Bakambu and Soldado had combined inside the box and Simon Mignolet produced a fine save from the midfielder’s low drive.
It become a test of organisation and discipline for Klopp’s men. The first European meeting with Manchester United followed swiftly by a reunion with Klopp’s former club and tournament favourites Dortmund raised the Europa League stakes and the competition’s significance for Liverpool. It was not a question of rousing themselves once more against less glamorous opponents in Villarreal – a European semi-final and the chance to qualify for the Champions League in Basel next month are sufficient motivation – but of maintaining the intensity, cohesion and threat of previous rounds with several key players sidelined. Their midfield trio of Milner, Lucas Leiva and Allen, while not one many would pay to watch for invention, were integral in achieving that goal.
Liverpool lost Philippe Coutinho to illness at half-time and their concentration seconds after the restart. The obvious threat of Bakambu, nine goals in 11 Europa League ties this season, was left unmarked at a Dos Santos corner but fortunately for the visitors he steered his header against the outside of a post. Liverpool received another reprieve when Gaspar elected to shoot from a tight angle despite Bakambu being unmarked in the six yard box, with inevitable repercussions. The ball flew harmlessly over Mignolet’s goal and the right-back got an earful from the striker.
Incident was sorely lacking but Firmino posed more problems for the home defence in the second half as he concentrated his runs on the penalty area rather than out wide. Milner picked him out with one measured pass and it required a fine save from Asenjo to tip the Brazil international’s low drive on to the post before López struck in injury time.
(Guardian service)
