Liverpool booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League despite a 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan in their last-16 second leg at Anfield this evening.
Jurgen Klopp's side went into the contest with a 2-0 advantage from last month's first leg at San Siro, and they needed that in the end as Lautaro Martinez's superb strike proved to be the only goal of the game on Merseyside.
Liverpool largely had the better of proceedings throughout the match, but failed to turn that into a goal and hit the woodwork three times - once through Joel Matip in the first half and twice through Mohamed Salah in the second.
Martinez's swerving stunner shortly after the hour mark momentarily piled the pressure on Liverpool, but just one minute later Inter's renewed hopes took a major blow when Alexis Sanchez was sent off for a second bookable offence - the former Arsenal man penalised for studs-up challenges on Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho.
The hosts then controlled possession with their numerical advantage and rarely looked in danger of conceding the all-important second goal as they safely secured their passage into the last eight.
Indeed, Liverpool should have levelled things up on the night with chances for Salah and Luis Diaz after falling behind, although ultimately they will be content to settle for a 2-1 aggregate victory over the Italian giants.
HIGHLIGHTS
7th min: Inter have the first shot on target of the night as Andrew Robertson can only clear the ball as far as Arturo Vidal, who lays it off for Denzel Dumfries. The Dutchman goes for goal from just outside the area, but it is an easy one for Alisson Becker.
16th min: Trent Alexander-Arnold whips a corner into the box which Virgil van Dijk meets with a firm header, but it is a relatively routine stop for Samir Handanovic.
31st min: Alexander-Arnold is the creator again as he drills a free kick into the box which Joel Matip only has to get his head to to steer it towards goal, with all of the power already on the ball. Matip does exactly that, but sees his effort hit the crossbar.
31st min: From the resulting corner - again an Alexander-Arnold delivery - Van Dijk glances a header towards goal but sees it well blocked behind for another corner by Milan Skriniar.
41st min: Hakan Calhanoglu whips a dangerous low free kick into the box which is awkward for Alisson, but the Liverpool keeper does well to push it away from danger.
45+7 min: Alexander-Arnold takes a break from creating Liverpool chances to almost open the scoring himself, whipping a fine free kick a yard or so wide in the last action of the first half.
48th min: Alexander-Arnold is involved again, weighing up his options as he looks for another pass but eventually opting to go for goal himself from range. His effort takes a deflection which momentarily threatens, but Handanovic gets across to make the save.
52nd min: It should be 1-0 to Liverpool as Thiago Alcantara lifts the ball through to Diogo Jota, who very nearly gets his toe to the bouncing ball before Handanovic. The keeper does get there first but can only steer it into the path of Mohamed Salah, who looks certain to score but can only roll his effort against the foot of the post.
59th min: Chance for Inter as Lautaro Martinez finds his first bit of space inside the Liverpool box, only to scuff his shot, which takes a slight deflection on its way behind for a corner.
62nd min: The visitors open the scoring on the night in stunning fashion, as Martinez picks out the top corner from just outside the box. Matip gives the ball away initially and Inter work it to Sanchez, who in turn gives it to Martinez. Van Dijk stands off him and almost invites the Argentine to shoot, and he duly obliges with an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
WOOOOW! 😱
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 8, 2022
Lautaro MartÃnez with an incredible strike for Inter! 🚀#UCL pic.twitter.com/i550cMNY5T
63rd min: No sooner have Inter taken the lead than they are reduced to 10 men. Alexis Sanchez - already on a yellow for a high challenge on Thiago in the first half - gets to the ball but follows through onto the ankle of Fabinho to earn his second yellow.
76th min: Salah is denied by the woodwork again as he meets Sadio Mane's floated pass with a first-time half-volley which beats Handanovic, but comes off the other post this time.
90+2 min: Liverpool should equalise as Luis Diaz looks to have a tap-in, but after sorting his feet out he is thwarted by a flying last-ditch challenge from Arturo Vidal.
MAN OF THE MATCH - ARTURO VIDAL
© Reuters
This was a toss-up between Alexander-Arnold, who was at the heart of most good things Liverpool did tonight, and Vidal, who put in a typically all-action display in the middle of the park.
The combative Chilean did not look like a 34-year-old as he popped up all over the field, breaking up play and making it difficult for Liverpool to create much through their midfield.
Aside from ending up on the winning team on the night, the clinching factor for this award was Vidal's incredible last-ditch block to deny Diaz in stoppage time.
STANDOUT MOMENT
© Reuters
Van Dijk utterly dominated Martinez for much of the contest, but the Inter Milan striker showed his quality with a brilliant opening goal.
Martinez may have been surprised to be allowed to turn into a yard of space, with Van Dijk this time choosing to stand off his man and challenge him to beat Alisson from range.
Martinez did just that, slicing across the ball to send a pinpoint finish swinging into the postage stamp in the top corner, with Alisson helpless.
BEST STAT
4 - Liverpool have reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-final stage for the fourth time in the last five seasons, failing only in 2019-20 in this time (eliminated in Round of 16). Pursuit. pic.twitter.com/oltciCXpUP
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 8, 2022
MATCH STATS
Possession: Liverpool 63%-37% Inter Milan
Shots: Liverpool 12-6 Inter Milan
Shots on target: Liverpool 2-3 Inter Milan
Corners: Liverpool 8-2 Inter Milan
Fouls: Liverpool 10-9 Inter Milan
LINEUPS
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones (Keita 65'), Fabinho, Thiago (Henderson 65'); Salah, Jota (Diaz 84'), Mane
INTER MILAN (3-5-2): Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij (D'Ambrosio 46'), Bastoni; Dumfries (Darmian 75'), Vidal, Brozovic (Gagliardini 75'), Calhanoglu (Vecino 84'), Perisic; Martinez (Correa 75'), Sanchez
No Data Analysis info
