SAN FRANCISCO, May 03, (THEWILL) – Liverpool reached the UEFA Champions League final after riding their luck to contain a fired-up AS Roma in a 4-2 defeat on Wednesday which sent them through 7-6 on aggregate.
The five-time European champions, who will face holders Real Madrid in the May 26 final, suffered a nerve-shredding second half at the Stadio Olimpico in Italy as the Italian side pinned them back and scored twice late on through Radja Nainggolan.
Nainggolan’s second, which came from a stoppage-time penalty kick, moved Roma to within one goal of forcing extra time but Liverpool, who clinched the last of their titles in 2005, held on to reach their eighth European Cup final.
They were far from their devastating attacking best, however, and a nervy defensive display saw them lose their first match in this season’s competition in spite of cruising in the first half, having twice taken the lead.
Sadio Mane was Liverpool’s most potent attacking threat and put them ahead after nine minutes, but a bizarre own goal by James Milner levelled for Roma.
A Georginio Wijnaldum header put Liverpool back in front but Roma, who overturned a three-goal deficit to beat FC Barcelona in the last round, were soon given renewed belief when Edin Dzeko fired past Loris Karius early in the second half.
Nainggolan drilled in from distance after 86 minutes to make it 3-2 and smashed home from the penalty kick spot but it was too late for the Italian side who lost the first leg of the semi-final 5-2 in Liverpool.
“We are deserved finalists 100 percent,” said Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp. “You don’t come without luck. We needed it only one time tonight.
“The boys deserve it, the character they showed, the football they showed — it was just crazy. I forgot the score. It was 7-6, right? Unbelievable.”
