Mohamed Salah has equalled yet another record after scoring Liverpool’s second goal in their win over Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
The Egyptian international started in his normal right wing position in the Reds’ front three, though like most of his teammates he struggled for large portions of the clash.
But as has so often happened since he arrived at Anfield, Salah delivered at a crucial time for his side, scoring with seven minutes remaining to put Liverpool one foot in the quarter-finals.
Salah latched onto Trent Alexander-Arnold’s headed pass inside the Inter box before seeing his shot deflect past stranded keeper Samir Handanovic and over the line for the Reds’ second goal.
In addition to giving his side a huge advantage ahead of the second leg, Salah’s strike ensured he equalled Peter Crouch’s Champions League record.
The goal on Wednesday means that Salah is now only the second player after Crouch to score against both AC Milan and Inter in the same season.
The Englishman became the first player to claim the unique record back in the 2010/2011 season when he helped to fire Tottenham to the quarter-finals of the competition.
Crouch first struck against Inter in the group stages, when he scored Tottenham’s second goal in a 3-1 win.
The striker slid in from six yards out from Gareth Bale’s cross to help Spurs on their way to a crucial three points.
The goal that handed him the record proved to be even more important, with Spurs taking on AC in the last 16 of that season’s Champions League.
Like his strike against Inter, it proved to be another simple finish for the striker, who was played in by Aaron Lennon.
Salah has the chance to go one better than Crouch, having netted twice against AC in this season’s group stage.
His first goal came in Liverpool’s thrilling 3-2 win back in September, when he poked in Divock Origi’s chip for the Reds’ second.
He followed that up in the final group game, driving in a rebound to set Liverpool on the way to a win that sealed an astonishing perfect record.
Salah can become the first player to score two goals against both Inter and AC in the same Champions League season when the reigning Serie A champions travel to Anfield for the second leg on 8 March.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was delighted with his side’s win at the San Siro and hailed Salah’s goal as “wonderful”.
“Incredibly physical game and we had to find a way. I think we started really well. I think we started really well and played around their formation,” Klopp said.
“Then they came up a bit with the direct play and their switches to the wing-backs. We didn’t defend that too well and our full-backs were alone in a one-on-one situation.
“It doesn’t work properly like that. In a game like this you have to keep the ball longer and that didn’t happen often enough.
“We did not have a brilliant day but a good enough day to be a deserved winner because we scored two wonderful goals.”
Source: mirror.co.uk
