LIVERPOOL: Liverpool ended Manchester City’s unbeaten start to the season as Mohamed Salah’s strike 14 minutes from time kickstarted the Reds’ campaign in a 1-0 win at Anfield on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp’s men are still 10 points behind City and 14 adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal, but kept their title aspirations alive with just a third league win of the season.
Klopp was sent off in the closing stages as he lost the plot with the officials for refusing to award Salah a free-kick.
But City were also left fuming at referee Anthony Taylor after he disallowed Phil Foden’s strike early in the second half after a VAR review.
For all their achievements under Pep Guardiola, City are still to master Anfield in front of a crowd as Liverpool’s proud unbeaten home league record with fans in attendance dating back to 2017 goes on.
Klopp claimed in his pre-match press conference that no one can compete with the wealth of resources at City’s disposal after adding Haaland to a squad filled with seasoned Premier League winners.
But the Norwegian’s 10-game scoring streak at club level came to an end on an afternoon Liverpool will hope gives their season lift-off.
Liverpool have caused City more problems than anyone else in England over the past five years and belied the form of both sides heading into the game to inflict the champions’ first league defeat since February.
Even in a cagey first 45 minutes, Haaland remained a major threat and will believe he should have opened the scoring before the break.
A lacklustre first half was followed by an explosive second period.
Salah should have opened the scoring when he latched onto Roberto Firmino’s through ball and Ederson made a brilliant save low to his right.
Seconds later the ball was in the Liverpool net as Foden swept home the loose ball after Alisson Becker bravely saved at Haaland’s feet.
However, the goal was ruled out after a VAR check for a foul by Haaland on Fabinho in the build-up.
Guardiola was still furiously remonstrating with the officials on the touchline when the home side missed another huge chance to break the deadlock.
Salah’s cross picked out Jota at the far post, who headed against the post when it seemed easier to score.
Haaland was next to be denied as the game raged from one end to the other as his low effort was palmed away by Alisson.
But it was Liverpool’s star marksman who finally found his range.
Salah bent another effort inches wide after turning Ruben Dias.
But the Egyptian did not spare City at the third time of asking as he outmuscled Joao Cancelo to latch onto Alisson’s long ball and kept his cool to slot past Ederson.
Virgil van Dijk’s dip in form has been one of the key factors in Liverpool’s slow start to the season.
The Dutchman, though, rose to the challenge of stopping Haaland and made one vital intervention to turn Cancelo’s cross away from the City number nine.
Klopp was given his marching orders for coming face-to-face with the assistant referee after Salah appeared to have been hauled back by Bernardo Silva.
But City were also lacking in composure to make their possession count on the field as Liverpool held out.
Salah gives Liverpool lift-off to end Man City’s unbeaten start
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Salah gives Liverpool lift-off to end Man City’s unbeaten start
- Mohamed Salah latched onto Alisson’s long ball and kept his cool to slot past Ederson
- Virgil van Dijk rose to the challenge of stopping City dangerman Erling Haaland
Century from Andries Gous powers Desert Vipers into ILT20 final
- His is first player from an associate nation to score a century in tournament history, and his 157-run partnership with Fakhar Zaman sets ILT20 opening-stand record
- Debutant Usman Tariq leads the charge with the ball, bagging three crucial wickets to help seal the victory
ABU DHABI: An unbeaten century from Andries Gous propelled Desert Vipers into the final of the International League T20 with a commanding 45-run victory over MI Emirates in Qualifier 1 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
His remarkable 120 not out spearheaded a clinical, all-round display as the Vipers secured a place in their third final in four seasons.
Gous and Fakhar Zaman, who hit a fluent 69 off 50 balls, laid the foundation for an imposing Vipers total as they stitched together a record-breaking 157-run partnership, the highest opening stand in the four-season history of the DP World ILT20.
Debutant Usman Tariq was then the star with the ball, claiming three wickets to derail the chase by MI Emirates.
Sent in to bat first, the Vipers got off to a measured start before accelerating the pace sharply. After a watchful opening, Gous let loose in the fifth over, smashing Romario Shepherd for two sixes and a four in a 20-run burst. He reached his half-century from just 29 balls, including three fours and three sixes, as the opening stand raced past 100 runs in only 65 deliveries.
Fakhar, who similarly began steadily, also shifted gears in the middle overs, reaching his 50 from 36 balls after targeting Kieron Pollard.
The opening pair were finding the boundary with ease and pushed their combined total beyond 150 before Fakhar was finally dismissed in the 16th over by Allah Ghazanfar. Sam Curran then joined Gous to provide a blistering finish.
Gous completed his century, the first of the season and the first by a player from an associate nation in the history of the ILT20, from 53 balls. Curran, meanwhile, smashed an unbeaten 38 off just 12 balls, including 20 runs in the final over, as the Vipers surged to a season-high 233 for the loss of a single wicket.
Gous finished the day with seven fours and nine sixes, and registered the highest individual score in the history of the tournament.
Chasing a daunting target, MI Emirates began brightly enough through Mohammed Waseem, who struck 41 off 32 balls, and Tom Banton. They ensured the powerplay was a positive spell, reaching 53 for one. Banton quickly took charge, hammering 18 runs off Curran in the ninth over on his way to a 21-ball half-century.
However, the momentum shifted decisively when Naseem Shah removed Waseem in the 11th over. Tariq then struck twice in two deliveries in the 12th, dismissing Banton for a valiant 63 off 27 balls, and Sanjay Krishnamurthi for a duck. The debutant added the wicket of Pollard soon after, finishing with three for 33 and swinging the contest firmly in the Vipers’ favor.
David Payne chipped in by removing Dan Mousley, and although Romario Shepherd contributed an unbeaten 39 late in the innings, including a costly 18th over off Curran, MI Emirates were restricted to 188 for seven, far short of what was required.
On Friday they will have a second chance to reach the final when they take on the winners of an eliminator, to be played on Thursday, between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Dubai Capitals. The final will take place on Sunday.
Player of the match Gous said his performance was one he will not forget.
“It was a really special moment for me,” he said. “You don’t get many opportunities to score a hundred, so I truly cherished it.
“After the sixth over we knew handling the wind would be key, and Fakhar batted superbly, which made my job a lot easier.
“Post-powerplay, we were thinking in terms of 190 to 200 but then Sam played an unbelievable innings that pushed us all the way to 230.”
MI Emirates captain Pollard admitted the big target set by the Vipers proved decisive.
“Chasing 233 was always going to be a stiff challenge,” he said. “Losing by 45 runs is a big margin in T20 cricket but I felt we conceded about 10 to 15 runs too many on what was a very good pitch.
“One loss isn’t the end of the road; we still have another chance.”
