Two champions league games back to back with improbable endings! Liverpool’s high intensity press and Tottenhams never say die attitude made both these games incredible watching.God is a football(yes the real football) fan and he is smiling tonight.
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This article seems buried on the NYT site. Which is ridiculous. This game, and the one today between Tottenham and Ajax are front page news everywhere else in the world. American exceptionalism at its finest...
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This was the greatest game I will ever see in my life. Period. Napoli, PSG, Bayern, Barca: RIP. Tell me we're not the best team in Europe! Tell me! Those teams didn't bottle it, they just couldn't handle our tactics our pressing and our passion. How superior is our conditioning to wreck a rested Barca side like that? Was holding back the tears in the office watching this magic. Absolutely magnificent. #YNWA!
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Credit to the pool but Spurs will beat them.
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@Michael And you're basing that on what? Anything can happen in a one off cup final, on any given day. But Liverpool are the better squad.
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It explained what soccer is about! Unpredictable, exciting and magical!
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Robertson should have been sent off in the opening moments for the two-handed shove to Messi's head while Messi was on the ground. What on earth was Robertson thinking? Lucky to have kept 11 on the pitch. I'm no fan of VAR, but I'm shocked that the VAR official didn't recommend reviewing that play - striking a player's head is a red card foul.
Great tournament this season, but I feel for the Barcelona players, two epic failures leading to tournament exits in successive years... they're a better quality squad than that, but that's what makes football so great, especially these knockout matches.
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Oh please! Are you serious? It’s Barca getting a little taste of their medicine with all of the gamesmanship of their own always on display. I loved it. You have to show no respect for Messi, and the refs agreed.
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This was what Mr. Rory Smith wrote least week.
"They had worked as hard as they could to keep Barcelona at bay. They had run as hard as they could to push them back, to cause them problems. They had been brave. And none of it had mattered, not a jot, because no matter how hard you work or how much you run, there is no way to plan for Barcelona. There is no plan that contains Messi. There is no plan that stops him. Sometimes, there is only acquiescence".
I should say, this time " No matter how hard Barcelona work or how much they run, there is no way to plan for Liverpool. There is no plan that contain brave Liverpool team. There is no plan to stop them. Sometimes, there is only ACQUIESCENCE!
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We waited so long for magical nights like this at
Anfield. The supporters are the 12th man. This means more . WE WILL WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.
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Never did I ever think that Barcelona would lose another 3 goal lead in the Champions League.
But credit to the Liverpool players, staff, coaches, and most of all, their fans. You can hear the atmosphere, the encouragement, and the enthusiasm.
Despite my team losing, I am not even mad, I am just numb at what happened. Liverpool out ran Barcelona, Liverpool scored when they had to, and most important, prevented the away goal.
The way that the Liverpool defense shut down Messi is truly incredible. Much respect to them and best of luck in the final. How badly that Dembele miss at the end of the first leg look now....
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Yesterday's game was all about Liverpool's greatness, not about Messi's sorrows. He was tired, unable to show any leadership and lift his team, cocky at times. I find it unfair that Messi and his company get more lines in this article than the true heroes of that encounter.
Four times Barcelona has faced Liverpool at a European cup knock-out stage and they have lost all four of them.
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Amen, my thoughts too.
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How is this not on the front page?! This was easily the greatest game I will ever watch in my lifetime, and I saw Brasil beat Germany in the 2002 WC final. Well done lads! Up the Reds! YNWA
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What a game. I thought the Spurs - City was the thriller this season but this game by Liverpool - Barcelona bested that.
As a repeat of Roma a year ago, I wonder why Messi suffers from a stage fright when games are not set in Barcelona.
Kudos to Liverpool. The fans, the players, the coach. Been a fan of Klopp since his Dortmund days. Well done, Reds!
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So, what about that fourth goal? Is a playground trick like that a little beneath the dignity of the game, sort of like when someone uses the 'hidden ball trick' in a major league baseball game? Everyone says 'ha, ha', but feels a little dirty afterwards? I'm not arguing the legality of the move, here, but the context of its use in a top level competition. It seems a little cheesy to me.
@David Godinez it was a genius moment of madness that will likely never work again. Cheesy? No. Beneath the dignity of the game? Absolutely not. Trying to do the unexpected is part and parcel of the game and is far more interesting than players who dive or play-act and roll around when they go down and ask for players to be sent off. (I'm looking at Messi at the Nou Camp after he was fouled by Milner).
That kind of thing is beneath the dignity of the game, but that corner was a fantastic moment that caught the other team out, nothing more.
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@David Godinez Is this a serious question? Football is a 90-minute game and top teams know they must remain vigilant for 90 minutes. Barcelona were shellshocked and it showed in their defending for the third and fourth goals. Trent Alexander Arnold and Divock Origi showed speed of thought and excellence of technique in exploiting Barcelona's weakness and lack of concentration. There was nothing underhand or cheesy about it. It was no different than taking a quick free-kick which is a commonly used tactic in the game at every level.
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Less hidden ball trick and more picking off the first base runner cause he was looking at the something in the outfield.
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This was one of those games when you can say anything is possible. Pure Magic!
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Anyone who derides soccer as boring, because teams don't score every two minutes and rack up 30+ points, needs to watch this epic from last night. The sheer willpower of a (depleted) team, and its incredible fan support was the stuff of legends. What an unbelievable atmosphere. Fifty years from now, old men will be telling their grandchildren that they were at Anfield on the night Barcelona were destroyed.
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Jürgen Klopp is arguably the best manager in football. He has built this team in line with his vision, and in the meantime created some of the most entertaining football I've seen in years of being an LFC fan. His game plan was perfect - and the substitution of Wijnaldum absolutely brilliant.
For LFC to beat Barcelona 4-0 with Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino would have been amazing. For LFC to beat Barcelona without them? Simply incredible.
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There may be justice in a small part of the world: City wins the league and the treble on the basis of Company's wonder strike; and the Reds win Europe. Maybe the two greatest teams ever to play a single season in the same league. Both desiring of this success.
Can someone explain why Klopp did not play Alexander-Arnold in game one?
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@Karl TAA had been struggling defensively in the preceding matches. On paper Gomez was supposed to have provided some additional defensive stability on the right. In retrospect that does seem a bit silly considering that Liverpool conceded 3 and clearly missed Trent's creativity. However, it does not matter anymore!
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They say it was the greatest European night in Anfield’s history. So improbable and for Liverpool, so based upon team, community, fitness and belief. Still hard to believe this could happen in a game of this magnitude against a Barcelona team of this quality. This night goes down into the lore of this great club. Go you Reds! Win in Madrid and bring home the cup. And to all Liverpool supporters, you’ll never walk alone.
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Imagine not loving Liverpool. If you don't, I feel sorry for you.
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How much more would Liverpool have had to achieve to be worthy of an article focused on them, not Messi and Barcelona? Even in self-inflicted defeat, Barcelona claims the bulk of your column. Disappointing and disrespectful to the extraordinary winning side.
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@DD He's a Manc. Nuff said.
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@DD Brexit is for mancs. We're staying in Europe!
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Sometimes, you turn on a sporting event thinking that one team has no shot but...I'll just watch for a little while. A little longer. Half. Then all of a sudden you realize that the unexpected is about to happen. I was almost afraid to look at the screen. Liverpool deserves all the props for an exciting game. Can't wait to see what happens today - Ajax and the Spurs!!!
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Anfield and European Nights! YNWA
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As a Barcelona - and Messi - fan, I am still recovering from this gut-wrenching loss. But I have to admit that Liverpool deserved the win. Many sports-oriented cliches come to mind, one of which is Mike Tyson's 'everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth'. Except in this case, Barcelona did not seem to have a plan, especially after they got punched in the mouth early in the match. It was clear that a change in tactics and/or formation was needed, but that did not happen, for which I plan coaching.
I've read that Messi was inconsolable afterwards, which breaks my heart. I am sure many will make the ludicrous claim that he did not 'step up' or 'take control of the match', but these people don't understand soccer and how its ebb and flow and, as was shown yesterday, the passion of determined players can make mortals out of gods.
And here another sports cliche comes to mind, this one from Sir Alex Ferguson: Football! Bloody hell.
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@John D
People who understand football can tell the difference between a ram and a chicken.
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@John D I agree with those that say that Barca, like any time, needs to be able to change tactics when what they are doing stops working. Barca is so committed to playing the ball out of trouble and dazzling their opponents with possession that they can't change gears when they run into a high press of Liverpool's quality, and lose the ball in dangerous areas. They are incapable of playing a long ball and they needed to, desperately. But to be fair, Liverpool's press is overwhelming and swallows teams whole.
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@Panos I needed a good laugh today. Thanks for providing it.
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Its simple really. Valverde is an awful coach. SAved week in week out by Messi. The same thing happened last year against Roma. A team presses hard, Barcelona is having difficulties. At half time BArca is still in OK shape. 2d half starts, and it is clear that Valverde has changed nothing - not a player, not the strategy. Roma/Liverpool are delighted. They just keep doing what they are doing. On no one takes on field leadership. After the first sloppy goal Barca allowed, Messi - the captain - should have quickly jhuddled the players and yelled at them - yelled. You guys suck. Get in it. Concentrate. But you never saw that. Instaed we saw the whole team (except Pique) staring off in the distance while Liverpool took an uncontested corner and tapped it in. So embarrassing.
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Mo Salah's Tee Shirt says it all "NEVER GIVE UP".
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Just brilliant. Defeating Barcelona was particularly sweet for Liverpool fans. Barcelona have raided Liverpool for talent through the years and succeeded in luring away players like Mascherano, Suarez and Coutinho (who could have helped with the Champions League last year). Trent Alexander's pass and Origi's goal was cheeky and fun. It was all heart. It was exhilarating. It was a joyful evening.
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I am a Gooner till I die, but I have and shall always have a soft spot for Liverpool (two stars of yesteryears had their start in the old NASL in Vancouver - Beardsley and Grobbelaar). This was a comeback for the ages - just as good as the comeback against Milan after being down 0-3 at the half. And it's impossible not to like Kloop - the man has an overabundance of charisma. My biggest regret - that Kloop, at one point, was a serious contender to replace Wenger (and we missed out on Mane when he was at Southampton) . . .
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@PS You invoke great memories from the NASL from this old Rowdies fan. The Vancouver/Tampa Bay Rowdies matches were some of the best ever played in the states. As the song said, “Soccer is a kick in the grass.”
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This was a gift from Liverpool to all football fans everywhere. I'm not a Liverpool fan so I can only thank Liverpool for such an amazing spectacle. Between this and Kompany's strike the night before, I am struggling to recover. Awesome night, fantastic approach and for once, a shining example from the game to kids on the art of the possible. Congratulations.
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The European press speak of Klopp’s “heavy metal football,” and until that match, I was a bit fuzzy on what that actually meant. Well, the swarming offense and mosquito-like defense demonstrated what that meant in capital letters! Barça had no answers. It was like watching Custer at Little Big Horn, with less bloodshed, but all of the emotional heft. And Anfield was rockin’! An amazing match, which people will speak of for decades to come.
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Amazing it was, but it doesn’t match Liverpool’s comeback against Inter Milan in the 2005 Champions League Final
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@Viking Yeah, that was amazing!
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The humiliation of the great is a central component of the magic of sports. The repeated triumphs of great teams give them and their fans a sense of privilege, as something due to them. That has been the feeling of Real Madrid, that the trophy belongs to them. That is why Ajax's victory was salutary and that is why Liverpool's victory is good for Messi and Barcelona. Nothing is due to you, you have to earn it. In the triumphs that a victorious Roman general was granted, there was a person, holding a crown of laurel over him who repeated: "Remember that you are human".
These splendid, unexpected victories are such a reminder.
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@Frank Casa Yes, I enjoyed the humiliation of the great. I get tired of these clubs with lots of money hoarding all the top players. Barcelona's team of substitutes would fare as well as the first team in the Champion's League. Likewise with Manchester City's "second team" in the Premier League. Liverpool doesn't have that kind of depth but they have spirit.
1
Barca glory days are gone for the last few years when
Real Madrid took over winning the Spanish titles.
They failed to regroup to stay on top , now they are one of the top 10 teams in the world not number one
Anymore.
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Barcelona won 4 of the last 5 La Liga titles.
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@Jeff
Real Madrid won 4 of the last 5 Champions titles. It’s quite, almost quite, the same.
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I've heard Anfield sing 'YNWA' dozens of times. The line facing the Kop, all together and singing along, whew!
And what's that old phrase..."It takes years to build a reputation and only a second to tear it down"? All the goodwill earned during his brilliant spell with Liverpool was gone by the time he kicked out at Andy Robertson. Rolling and jumping to fall on the floor in agony and gestures of disdain. Gone!
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It’s official: I’m a complete moron. I decided not to watch this game thinking Liverpool had little chance of a comeback…and I made this decision because of work? I don’t care if you are a doctor in the emergency room, don’t miss a Champions League semi-final game; staunch the bleeding and pull up a chair.
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@Iconblaster I heard a story yesterday that a man was watching the game while he waited to board a flight. After Liverpool’s third goal, he got out of line to book a later flight (at who-knows-what cost) so he wouldn’t miss the rest of the game.
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What a game. On the ropes, Liverpool pulled out one of the if not the most improbable comeback against the mighty Barcelona and that too without two star forwards. They have a great chance to win the Champions League this year against either Ajax (another Cinderella) or Tottenham who are also missing their star forward Harry Kane.
There is a slight chance that Liverpool can also win Premier League if Manchester City falters in its final road game. If that happens this will probably be the season to remember in the club history.
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@Matt Suggesting that Liverpool is a Cinderella is a bit unfair. The team has a great European pedigree, with 5 titles. This is their second year in a row in the finals, along with two others since 2005. They are on track for the 3d highest points total ever in the Premiership. This Liverpool side has been a juggernaut all season, and lifting the CL trophy will be no more than they deserve.
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Ajax is actually the Cinderella team. With a fraction of the payroll and lacking the star power of Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, or either of the Manchester teams, they are a young, hungry, immensely talented group. Watch out Liverpool. Klopp is quite the genius however.
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Busy with work, I turned on the game halfway through the first half thinking if it is 1-0 they have a chance. It was and the fun of watching a great game with a lot on the line began.
Reminded me of the Barca - PSG 6-1 game during the 17-18 Champions League. What comes around goes around. Karma. “You’ll never walk alone”...........
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You Will Never Walk Alone...............and as promised, they took all of us along for a sprint. Brilliant and of course, Beautiful.
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Go you mighty Reds. See you in Madrid.
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I missed most of the game, fearful of a bad outcome. How stupid of me. This is Liverpool, the maker of magic this year. So I say the last ten minutes and cried with the crowd at the ending. Stupid Americans. Give up "football." It is an evil game that makes players dead in the head. You see the impact game after game. And the constant commercials!
Start watching the well covered on American TV the Premier League and you will have more fun than you ever imagined.
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@Kuhlsue Truth!
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@Kuhlsue
On head injuries:
I enjoy watching 'soccer' tremendously, but to be fair to American football, the risk for head injury is also large in soccer, especially when two players go for the same ball. Mohammed Saleh could not play yesterday because of a concussion. In fact, we have seen several head incidents in major soccer matches the last month.
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Another Liverpool "come back" not unlike their stunning victory against Milan in the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul.
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It was one of the greatest sporting events I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. Of course I happen to be a Liverpool fan. But even without Mo and Firmino, two of the best strikers in the world, they totally dominated one of the greatest teams, and utterly shut down arguably the greatest player of all time, from start to finish. The crowd at Anfield was uproarious. The victory was staggering. Who’s next, Ajax or the Spurs?
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Suarez and Coutinho pushed to leave Liverpool recently. Claiming their need for greater Champion's League glory....be careful what you wish for.
YNWA
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Football is one of those games where raw hustle counts for a lot (basketball another). Liverpool simply overwhelmed Barca with sustained levels of raw hustle. I thought surely they were going to be in trouble the second half after exhausting themselves in the first with all the pressing and immediate closing down when Barca got the ball. But they still poured it on in the 2nd. Great game to watch as a neutral...well, I was pulling for Liverpool a bit. Tired of hearing about Barca. And how can you not root for a team that has a guy like Klopp for a coach.
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@ridergk
Not so "raw". I'll suggest Focused Work Rate. Sustained, high-intensity, always purposeful -- closing down relentlessly and running to space at every opportunity, Never a let up. It is Klopp's philosophy, style and demand -- and a great pleasure to watch.
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Liverpool celebrated so much you would of thought they had won a trophy!
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They pretty much did. Neither the youthful and entertaining Ajax side nor the Kaneless Spurs have a prayer.
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@Joe B. Well, one could have said that about Liverpool prior to the second leg.
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@Joe B.Harry looked pretty good running across the field for the celebration. I see him suiting up for the final
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I am sure some people are going to be searching for answers this morning as to what happened at Anfield last night. The improbability of such an outcome, written-off by the pundits.
Two outstanding players Firmino and Salah missing with injuries.
Search no more. The human spirit. The will to overcome adversity. Anfield at its best. All on display last night for this epic victory.
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@Paul
As J. P. Morgan said, the first thing is character.
2
The writing here is so good, I feel I was in the stands screaming approval. Well done Liverpool and also Rory Smith !
15
I watched this in a pub in Scotland last night. Those last 2 goals by Liverpool were absolutely brilliant. It was well done and one of the most amazing comebacks. I am not a huge football fan, but respect to Liverpool.
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This has been a Champions League for the ages. Americans who don’t follow soccer are missing out on a glorious sporting event.
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@Samuel
Seriously! I always joke that the script writers out-do themselves every round, but this has been such a drama filled Champions League. Not going to be topped for a long time.
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Wow! And to think that I posted the comment before Tottenham’s incredible win over Ajax!
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Reviewing Barcelona’s performance in the last 4 years, shows Barca to be a paper tiger away from Camp Nou in Championahip League. Liverpool did play well and well deserves their victory.
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