Liverpool overturn two-goal deficit to beat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield

Liverpool recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield on 20 October, giving them three wins from their first three Champions League matches. Alexis Mac Allister scored twice, while Rio Ngumoha supplied the deliveries for two of Liverpool’s goals in a comeback that ended with the hosts holding off a late Villarreal challenge.

How Liverpool came back from 2-0 down

Villarreal led inside four minutes when Georges Mikautadze scored after a loose header from Virgil van Dijk. Sergi Cardona made it 2-0 before the half-hour mark, running onto a through ball and beating Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, according to Hayters TV’s match report.

Ngumoha created the goal that put Liverpool ahead midway through the second half. He drove to the byline and cut the ball back for Mac Allister, who scored his second of the night. Three minutes later, Florian Wirtz finished after Cody Gakpo picked him out, putting Liverpool 4-2 up.

Villarreal substitute Tani Oluwaseyi scored in the 87th minute to reduce the gap to one goal. Villarreal then pressed for an equaliser, but Liverpool held on for the 4-3 win. The result left Villarreal with three points after three matches; The Guardian’s live table placed them 18th while Matchday 3 was still in progress.

Rio Ngumoha’s two assists against Villarreal

The Guardian reported that Ngumoha became Liverpool’s youngest player to assist a Champions League goal. His first delivery helped Araujo level the match before half-time; his second set up Mac Allister’s goal to take the lead. Ngumoha left the field in the 75th minute to applause from the Anfield crowd.

Speaking after the match in an interview carried by Amazon, Ngumoha said, ‘these records are amazing to break’ and that he was ‘slowly’ getting better. He also described hearing the crowd chant his name as ‘a dream’. Liverpool’s comeback maintained their perfect start to the Champions League campaign, while Villarreal’s late goal ensured the contest remained close until the final whistle.