Liverpool 1-0 Ajax: Champions League – as it happened – The Guardian

Andy Hunter was at Anfield, and his report is in. You know what to do: clickity click. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!

Klopp: the kids are alright. “Since I am in Liverpool that is one of the biggest Champions League nights … for sure without supporters it was the most important, the most difficult and most exceptional game … the circumstances are tricky, and then how the kids play, Robbo with a proper knock on the ankle, pushing himself through, Hendo with a proper knock on the back, Gini I have no words for him, Curtis Jones, what a game from a 19-year-old boy … I am really proud of them … I think Adrian did an incredible job for us last season, clean sheets, Super Cup final … but now in this game we needed the natural football playing ability of Kelleher, so we made that decision … I am really happy with how calm and good Kelleher was … Neco has shown glimpses, he can be even better, but tonight it was all good.”

An extremely content Caoimhin Kelleher speaks to BT Sport. “It was amazing for me to make my debut … it was massive for me … [making saves] is what I’m there for, I work every day in training to make sure that I am ready and prepared and thankfully today I was able to make a few good saves … the players in front of me, when I get the ball they always give me easy options … [the young players] aren’t just here to take part, we want to play as many games as we can, we’re actually making a difference and we’re improving the team as well … my phone’s been hopping since I got in, so big thanks for all the support I’ve been getting!”

Jordan Henderson’s verdict. “It was a very tough game, as we knew it would be, but I thought the boys were outstanding … we deservedly got the win … we should have scored a few more given the chances we had … we were unlucky not to win by two or three, but we’re delighted with the three points and also the clean sheet … Curtis has gambled that the keeper is going to miss it, and it’s a great finish … we managed the game a little bit better in the second half … we know the injury problems we’ve got, but the togetherness is big in this dressing room and stuff like this makes us stronger.”

Klopp is ecstatic. Neco Williams is also the recipient of a bear hug from his elated manager. Kelleher and Williams have earned their power-cuddles; both were excellent tonight. See also Curtis Jones, who scored the winner and hammered another shot against the woodwork. It’s been a good night for Liverpool’s kids. Not so great for Ajax’s youngsters: Atalanta’s 1-1 draw with Midtjylland means the Italians leapfrog them into second place. Ajax will now have to beat Atalanta in the final round of fixtures next week if they want to progress. Klopp can do what he likes in the final, dead rubber against the Danes, a match with absolutely nothing resting on it. Expect to see a starting XI that redefines experimental.

Liverpool have qualified for the knockout phase, beating Ajax thanks to a Curtis Jones goal (and an Andre Onana mistake). They were deserved winners tonight … and deservedly win Group D as well. Jurgen Klopp runs onto the pitch and heads straight for Caoimhín Kelleher, who made a crucial save near the end. A huge smile, an even bigger hug.

90 min +3: Mane is booked when his arm slaps into the startled coupon of Tagliafico.

90 min +2: Schuurs flings a long one into the mixer. Most un-Ajax. Kelleher comes out to claim with confidence.

90 min +1: Henderson takes one for the team, going in the book for tugging back Gravenberch, who was threatening to break upfield.

88 min: Antony swings one in from the right. Huntelaar meets it with his head, six yards out. It’s flashing towards the top right … but Kelleher makes a fantastic point-blank save, parrying out for a corner!

86 min: With time running out, Ajax press the kitchen-sink button. Blind and Mazraoui are replaced by Martinez and Huntelaar. May as well go for it.

85 min: Firmino sends Salah away down the right. Salah enters the box and sends a wild effort across the face of goal and towards the left-hand corner flag. The flag belatedly goes up for offside, saving a few blushes.

84 min: Nothing comes of the corner. Liverpool should have put this group to bed … but Ajax are still in it. One goal, and everything will go to the final matchday.

83 min: Firmino, Henderson and Salah combine crisply down the middle at speed. Suddenly Firmino is free in the box! He should score, but in looking to pass into the bottom right, allows Onana to tip round for a corner.

81 min: Neres has picked up an injury after an accidental clatter into Williams. He’s replaced by Traore.

80 min: Some fine work by Williams down the right, as he spins clear of Tagliafico and sets Liverpool off on the attack. Henderson’s cross evades the eyebrows of Mane by a couple of inches.

79 min: Atalanta have equalised against Midtjylland. It’s 1-1 in Bergamo.

77 min: Robertson barrels down the left at jet speed, entering the box. He’s got four team-mates in the middle, but somehow only finds Blind, who deflects clear.

75 min: Ajax surround Firmino, 25 yards from the Liverpool goal. Firmino somehow slithers out of trouble and races up the middle, his pass this close to releasing Mane down the middle. Schuurs intercepts. That could have been one of the great assists. Wonderful play by Firmino.

73 min: Salah has the ball at his feet inside the Ajax box, but can’t carve out enough space to shoot. Eventually Ajax clear their lines. Liverpool still looking for that elusive second goal and some much-needed breathing space.

72 min: Tadic nearly turns Matip down the left. Just as it looks as though he’ll race clear into the Liverpool box, Matip recovers and pressurises him into running the ball out for a goal kick. Fine defending.

70 min: Labyad comes on for Alvarez. Then Wijnaldum is booked for standing on Tadic’s foot.

69 min: Onana and Blind make a meal of playing out from the back. The ball squirts away to Henderson, who hits a first-time low drive back towards the goal Onana’s not currently guarding. Fortunately for the keeper, the spectacular improvised effort sails wide left.

67 min: Blind sprays a pass right towards Antony, who shuttles down the flank for Mazraoui. Fabinho comes across to block out for a corner. Nothing comes of the set piece.

65 min: Salah makes his apologies to Onana. The keeper gets up and he’s good to go again.

64 min: Antony is causing a few problems down the right. He jets infield and whistles a low shot straight at Kelleher. Liverpool go straight up the other end, Salah chasing a long ball down the middle and accidentally clattering Onana as the keeper races out of his box to clear.

62 min: Salah races through the middle. He’s clear! But he’s never quite in control of the ball, and Schuurs nips in to pass back. But his touch is weak, giving Salah another chance! Onana is the hero this time, racing out and smothering. This has been a very entertaining match.

60 min: This is far from over, though. Neres crosses from the left. Klaassen chests down on the penalty spot, and prepares to shoot, only for Fabinho to get in the road, chest down, hold his man off, and hack clear. So close to a quick-fire equaliser.

Williams curls in from a deep position on the right. The ball’s dropping at the far post. Onana comes racing out and misses it altogether. Just as the ball looks like floating out for a goal kick, Jones steers the dropping ball into the unguarded net from the tightest of angles. What an error from Onana! But that was some finish by Jones, who kept his eye on the ball and tucked it away beautifully.

57 min: Antony cuts in from the right and shoots low towards the bottom left. Kelleher sticks out an arm to save, but the ball squirts left to Neres, who lashes a shot off the post and out for a goal kick. He should have tucked that away, though Williams did extremely well to heave into view and put him off.

56 min: Matip clatters into the back of Tadic, and is fortunate not to follow Blind into the book. Tadic felt that one, and takes a while to get up. But get up he eventually does.

54 min: Neres one-twos with Tadic down the inside-left channel and flashes a shot into the side netting. The flag goes up late for offside. Mane makes off down the Liverpool left and prepares to shoot, before Schuurs slides in to block. No corner, though, as a late flag goes up again.

52 min: Mane gets to the byline down the left and loops long. The ball’s dropping for Williams, haring in from the right. Williams prepares to meet it on the volley … but Salah runs across him, getting right in his way. Williams is forced to pause and when he eventually makes a connection, the ball balloons softly towards Onana. It’s not quite clicking for Liverpool up front.

50 min: Ajax should be ahead. Neres reaches the byline on the left and whips towards the near post. Klaassen meets the cross with a header, six yards out, but sends it wide left when it was surely easier to score. Liverpool breathe again.

49 min: Williams and Henderson combine well down the right. Henderson swings infield for Mane, in loads of space for a couple of seconds. He uses them up and is tackled cleanly by Mazraoui. What a wonderful saving tackle.

47 min: Salah knocks a simple pass straight out of play. He’s cut a frustrated figure all evening.

Ajax get the second half underway. There have been no half-time changes. “Call me a shell-shocked Liverpool fan but I fully expect this match to be decided by the Dutch legend Van der VAR. Looking at the Ajax bench, I wonder how many Champions League minutes Timber has logged. No more bad name puns, I Promes.” Peter Oh, there, brazenly traipsing all over Mac Millings’ patch.

Gravenberch glides past Matip down the left and looks for goal. He leans back, the ball sails into the Kop, and that’s the end of an excellent half. As things stand, Liverpool are going through.

45 min: Tagliafico wins a corner off Williams out on the left. Tadic takes. Klaassen eyebrows on at the near post, but Mane clears. There will be one added minute.

44 min: This is great end-to-end fun. First Tadic nearly dinks his way into space in the Liverpool box, but is denied by a last-ditch toe-poke by Fabinho. Then Robertson sails down the left and tries to catch Onana out at his near post, but flahses into the side netting instead.

42 min: Wijnaldum curls a long pass down the right for Mane. Schuur comes across and cleans him out. He’s booked, and perhaps lucky to escape a red, given Mane would have been clear had he got past the defender. The fact he was on the wing, with two other Ajax players tracking back in the middle, probably saved Schuur there.

40 min: Jota dribbles down the middle. He’s got Jones to his left, Salah to his right. He decides to shoot instead, and is blocked by the very impressive Schuurs.

39 min: Henderson is sent scampering into acres down the middle by a cute Mane backflick. He should probably shoot, but opts to feed Jones to his left. Jones and Robertson over-think it, and eventually give the ball away to Onana.

37 min: Mane backs himself in a footrace with Schuurs down the left. He loses out, something that doesn’t happen too often, as the big young defender keeps up with ease, then stands his ground powerfully as the pair go shoulder to shoulder. A good battle, that. Hard but fair.

35 min: Jota is cynically tugged back by Alvarez, who is lucky not to go into the book. Henderson takes the free kick, just to the right of the D, but blooters it straight into the wall.