Juergen Klopp hailed a depleted Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Ajax to reach the last 16 as one of his greatest UEFA Champions League nights given the Reds’ lengthy injury list.
The Liverpool youngsters took their chance to shine as 19-year-old Curtis Jones scored the only goal, while goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher kept a clean sheet against the Dutch side on his European debut.
The win ensures that Klopp’s players win Group D with a game to spare, allowing some of his stars to get a much-needed rest away at Midtjylland next week.
Photo: AFP
“Honestly, since I am [at] Liverpool, for how it feels, one of the biggest Champions League nights,” said Klopp, who has guided Liverpool to two finals and won the competition last year. “It was the most important, the most difficult and the most exceptional game.”
Kelleher had to deputize for Alisson Becker, who was added to the Reds’ injury list before the game’s start — along with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri, Trent Alexander-Arnold and James Milner — while Andrew Robertson needed heavy strapping applied to his ankle in the first half.
“There are not a lot of reasons to smile — because of the injuries, it’s tricky. Then, the boys throw themselves into that game,” Klopp added.
“How the kids played: Robbo with a proper knock on the ankle, pushing himself through; Hendo [Jordan Henderson] with a proper knock on the back, pushing himself through; Gini [Wijnaldum], I have no words for him; Curtis Jones, what a game for a 19-year-old boy,” Klopp said. “I’m really proud tonight.”
Jones has been one of the beneficiaries of those absentees with many more first-team minutes this season and came closest to breaking the deadlock before halftime, when his curling effort came back off the post after just six minutes.
The midfielder was then alive to score the winner just before the hour mark, when a lofted cross from Neco Williams appeared to be easy pickings for Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana, but he instead tried to let the ball go behind for a goal-kick and was caught out when Jones sneaked in at the back post to turn the ball into an unguarded net.
“That’s how it is sometimes,” Klopp said. “In situations where there are problems, there is always an opportunity for someone else and he took it just exceptionally well.”
Ajax had been unbeaten in eight games since losing to at home to Liverpool in October, but they could not find a way past the inspired Kelleher.
All of the young Irishman’s previous appearances had come in domestic cup competitions and he was made to work for his clean sheet on the big stage, as he flew to his left to turn Noussair Mazraoui’s long-range effort behind.
Mazraoui was denied again by Kelleher early in the second half, but David Neres should have swept home the rebound when he hit the outside of the post.
Next week, Ajax must beat Atalanta BC in Amsterdam to make the last 16 — and they were left to regret what might have been, but for one moment of Onana madness.
The Spaniard made amends with a great save to turn Roberto Firmino’s effort onto the post to keep Ajax in the game after Liverpool’s best move of the match, involving Henderson and Salah.
However, Kelleher produced an even better stop two minutes from time to parry Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s powerful header from point-blank range to see Liverpool over the line.
A delighted Klopp ran onto the field to embrace his goalkeeper after the full-time whistle and will hope his squad is in better health for another deep run in the knockout stages come next year.
“You never know how a boy will react,” Klopp said. “I’m really happy with how calm he was, with how good he was.”
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