UCL Roundup: Diaz hat-trick sinks Leverkusen as Boniface suffers heavy defeat at Anfield

2 hours ago 27

Liverpool delivered a resounding 4-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield on Tuesday, spoiling Xabi Alonso’s return to his former stomping ground.

The win maintained Liverpool’s perfect start to the UEFA Champions League.

Nigerian striker Victor Boniface played 81 minutes but couldn’t prevent the reigning Bundesliga champions from succumbing to Liverpool’s attacking prowess.

Luis Diaz stole the show with a hat-trick, while Cody Gakpo added the other goal.

Alonso’s well-drilled Leverkusen side held Liverpool scoreless in the first half, with both teams cancelling each other out.

However, the hosts burst into life after the interval. Diaz opened the scoring with an impressive dinked finish on 61 minutes, courtesy of Curtis Jones’ precise pass.

Gakpo doubled the lead two minutes later with a thumping header from Mo Salah’s cross, which was confirmed by VAR after initially being flagged for offside.

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Diaz sealed his hat-trick with two late goals, converting Salah’s delivery on 83 minutes and adding a stoppage-time strike.

Other matches

In other Champions League action, Sporting Lisbon stunned Manchester City 4-1, with Viktor Gyokeres also netting a hat-trick, including two penalties.

Phil Foden opened the scoring for City, but Gyokeres equalised before halftime.

ALSO READ: EPL: Liverpool back on top after slim Chelsea victory

Maximiliano Araujo added to the tally after the interval, capping off a memorable night for Sporting Lisbon and Ruben Amorim, who managed his last home game for the club.

Elsewhere, AC Milan pulled off a major upset, defeating Real Madrid 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

This marked the Champions League holders’ second defeat in four games. Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze was missing in action for Milan.

Other results on Tuesday include Celtic

securing a 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig, while PSV thrashed Girona 4-0.

Monaco edged Bologna 1-0 away from home and Borussia Dortmund narrowly beat Sturm Graz 1-0.

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