Updated May 03, 2018 09:02:32

The Red half of Merseyside is back in the Champions League final, but Liverpool was made to sweat for it as it finally saw off Roma 7-6 on aggregate after a 4-2 second leg loss in Rome.

Liverpool had led 5-0 after 68 minutes of the first leg, before conceding two late goals to leave the tie slightly open going into the return leg in Italy.

The Giallorossi tried their best in front of their home fans at the Stadio Olimpico, going into the game with hope after their incredible second-leg heroics to overcome a three-goal deficit and knock out Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

But the chances of another unlikely comeback appeared all but over after Liverpool pounced on a mistake from Roma's Radja Nainggolan — the visitors swept forward to set up a cool finish by Sadio Mane for a 1-0 lead after just nine minutes.

It was the first goal Roma had conceded at home in six Champions League matches this season.

But once again, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side looked far more comfortable going forward than when forced to defend.

Not for the first time this season, Liverpool conceded a comical goal on the quarter-hour, when Trent Alexander-Arnold flapped at the ball, and his booted clearance cannoned off the back of James Milner and flew back past Loris Karius in the Liverpool goal to make it 6-3 on aggregate.

But the Reds' much-touted front three of Mohamad Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino were still looking dangerous any time they did get the ball. In the 26th minute, Liverpool was in front again on the night.

The Reds' left-back Andrew Robertson charged down the wing and got to the byline to cross for Mane, who forced a save from Alisson. From the corner, the ball came back in and Georginio Wijnaldum got up to nod it down and into the net.

Photo: Georginio Wijnaldum's goal proved crucial, as Liverpool beat Roma 7-6 on aggregate in the Champions League semi-final. (AP: Alessandra Tarantino)

Liverpool still led 2-1 at the break, up 7-3 on aggregate. The task looked well beyond Roma, but the home side felt it had a penalty four minutes into the second half, when Edin Dzeko was bundled over in the box by goalkeeper Karius, only for him to be incorrectly ruled offside.

But the home side made amends a few minutes later, when Alexander-Arnold missed a tackle near the sideline, and Stephen El Shaarawy surged forward — the shot was parried by Karius into the path of Dzeko, who held back and clipped it across the keeper into the far left corner.

The roar from the home fans sent a message that the game was not over, but Roma still needed another three goals (plus keeping Liverpool scoreless) to force extra time.

Nevertheless, Liverpool was on the back foot all of a sudden, as Roma sensed an opening.

As usual the Reds lack a second gear capable of shutting a game down — and Roma could well have had another goal a few minutes later when Liverpool failed to clear and El Shaarawy tried to blast the ball home from close range.

Alexander-Arnold tried to fling himself in the way while turning in mid-air, and replays showed the ball clipped his hands in front of his face, but no penalty was given.

The failure to get another breakthrough took some of the sting out of Roma, and when Nainggolan smashed one off the post into the net from the edge of the box with less than five minutes to go, the celebrations were muted.

There was one last twist, however. In injury time, Roma went forward one more time, and the attacker clipped the ball back to set up a shot. It glanced off the hand of Ragnar Klavan, and the referee pointed to the spot.

Nainggolan crashed the penalty home, but within seconds of the restart the whistle blew to end the game.

Salah, the man of the season for the Reds, failed to get on the scoresheet, remaining on 43 total goals — but his club got the job done.

The win puts Liverpool into the Champions League final for the first time since the Merseysiders lost to AC Milan 11 years ago.

Liverpool will be looking to win its first piece of silverware under Klopp, but the challenge will be serious, having to face a Real Madrid side chasing a hat-trick of Champions League titles.

With the attacking talent on offer for both sides, the score in the final could be anything.

Topics: sport, soccer, champions-league, italy, england

First posted May 03, 2018 07:02:57