Liverpool 4-3 Dortmund (agg: 5-4)
The Reds secured a stunning comeback victory to secure safe passage into the semi-finals on a night to remember at Anfield.
- Liverpool through to last four with 5-4 aggregate win against Dortmund
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang score inside first nine minutes
- Mamadou Sakho gives Liverpool hope before Dejan Lovren scores winner in added time
- The Bundesliga club's 18-match unbeaten start to 2016 ends
Liverpool completed one of the most startling comebacks in UEFA Europa League history to defeat Borussia Dortmund and book their place in Friday's semi-finals draw.
Jürgen Klopp's side scored three second half goals to hand the German coach a 5-4 aggregate victory against his former club with Dejan Lovren crashing in a late header in front of the Kop on a famous night at Anfield.
Unperturbed by the heated atmosphere, Dortmund started brightly, showing they meant business from the off. After the hosts lost possession too high in the fifth minute, Henrikh Mkhitaryan started and finished an outstanding counterattack for the opening goal.
BVB were two goals to the good four minutes later, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang supplying an excellent finish to Marco Reus's defence-splitting pass. With a mountain to climb, Liverpool slowly improved, and Adam Lallana could have cut the deficit had he not miscued.
Shortly after the interval Liverpool did pull a goal back, with Divock Origi latching onto Emre Can's through-ball and finishing calmly.
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Philippe Coutinho celebrates
Hope at Anfield was restored, but Reus's fine finish from Mats Hummels's pass sent the travelling fans into raptures once more. Undeterred, Liverpool continued to attack and again cut the deficit, Philippe Coutinho's trademark strike from distance leaving Roman Weidenfeller no chance.
Mamadou Sakho found the net late on, setting up a climactic end to a unpredictable evening. Lovren then etched his name into Anfield folklore with a winner in added time to give Liverpool yet another famous comeback victory.
Liverpool almost made to pay for errorsTwice Liverpool gave the ball away in the Dortmund half in the opening stages, and twice they were punished. Alberto Moreno lost possession to Mkhitaryan, who started and finished the move that led to the first goal, before Roberto Firmino was dispossessed soon afterwards, allowing Reus to pick out Aubameyang for the second. The Reds got out of jail but they they cannot afford to keep making so many lapses.
Liverpool's rollercoasterEvery time Dortmund scored, the hosts seemed down and out. But, to their immense credit, Liverpool hit back every time. Jürgen Klopp will take plenty of heart from his side's brilliantly courageous second-half display, one which suggests they may go all the way.
Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund (agg 5-4): Reds produce Europa League miracle in Anfield thriller - 5 things we learned
Two down in the first eight minutes, goals from Origi, Coutinho, Sakho and Lovren put Jurgen Klopp's side into the semis in quite incredible fashion
Liverpool were left needing a miracle after an incredible Dortmund blitz last night...and stunningly produced it.
The Reds were devastated by two goals from the incredible German side within the first nine minutes of a stunning Europa League tie, leaving them with an impossible mountain to climb.
But somehow, they invoked the spirit of Istanbul to produce quite possibly the most memorable night of European football even this incredible old stadium has ever seen.
Even after their classy opponents snatched a third early in the second half to seemingly nip any hopes of a dramatic comeback in the bud, Jurgen Klopp's side showed the never-say-die spirit he has demanded...and showed they are now a force to be reckoned with.
It was a night that almost defied words, as Dejan Lovren produced a winner deep into stoppage time with a ferocious header that took the roof of the stadium and gave Klopp the atmosphere he so desired.
It was a rousing memorable finale on another passionate European night at Anfield where they treated the world to one of the best games this competition has ever seen - a fine contest between two wonderful teams – and between two electri sets of commited, deafening fans.
In the end a third from Mamadou Sakho 13 minutes from time, after goals from Divock Origi and the spirited Philippe Coutinho set up a famous, famous night that no one who was here will ever forget.
It was a storming, stirring, simply incredible finish to a fine game that has put the Europa League on the map.
And it was enough to give Anfield an idea of what they can expect under Klopp – whose side refused to give up even when they needed three goals with little more than half an hour remaining.
It was a tie that had everything, including so much drama in the closing stages that Klopp seeemed about to explode on the touchline.
The Reds have found a manager who fits this club...and will surely steer them to greater glories than even this majestic night.
Here David Maddock offers five thoughts on one of the greatest Anfield nights he's ever witnessed:
1) There is no better place than Anfield on these European nights
This was a stunning, wondrous occasion, with deafening support from both sets of fans and an electric atmosphere that will live long, long in the memory.
This game truly ranks alongside those famous European nights of old – and probably surpasses them all.
2) Klopp is the master motivator
When he first arrived, you could never have even conceived Liverpool could produce a stirring fight back like this, but the spirit, the fight, the desire his has already instilled into this side shows just what a manager he is.
3 He's also given Liverpool a goals threat too
For all the fact they were battered early on by Dortmund, they kept creating chances throughout this game, and in the end took enough of them to win a famous tie.
It is so important to have a threat, and Klopp has produced a Liverpool side with menace, with bite and with creatvity.
4) They still can't defend though
We wondered, with a air of renewed hope last week, whether Liverpool's defensive frailties were finally beginning to be erased under the Jurgen Klopp regime, with the impressive (if surprising) performance of Mamadou Sakho alongside the now secure Dejan Lovren in the heart of the defence in Dortmund.
Well, it took only seven days for the answer to be delivered...and for normal service to be resumed.
The fact is, when teams have such a glaring weakness at the heart of their back line as Sakho presented here at Anfield, then a side as good as Dortmund will always take advantage. And they do so ruthlessly here within nine quite astounding minutes of kick off.
Sakho was dreaming for the first goal, laying four yards off the rest of his defensive line to play three visitors onside, and then failing to response to the rebound. For he was equally deep and equally static. At this level, you simply can not have defenders gifting goals like that, and Klopp knows it only too well. This is the one dampner on an incredible night.
5) The manager was maybe a bit TOO gung-ho too!
The Liverpool manager probably knows too, that he made a huge mistake in not selecting Joe Allen from the start of this encounter.
Liverpool have still never lost to a German side in European competition at Anfield
Dortmund came with an attacking line up, as the German coach knew they would, and he clearly tried to counter with an adventurous formation of his own.
But it backfired spectacularly with his midfield simply going awol in those awful opening minutes. Twice the Reds' Brazilians gave the ball away, and twice the Germans swept through a non-existent midfield to counter with deadly incision.
Allen steadied the ship at the end, and kept possession to give Liverpool the platform to pull off an incredible victory.
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