UEFA Champions League - Barcola Injured, Mac Allister Scores a Stunning Goal as Liverpool Beat Atletico Madrid 2-1

At 3:00 a.m. Beijing time on September 10, the first round of the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League league phase continued. Liverpool, playing at Anfield, came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 and made a winning start to their new Champions League campaign. Llorente opened the scoring in the 17th minute, Szoboszlai equalized in the 40th minute, and Mac Allister's stunning strike in the 50th minute put Liverpool ahead. In addition, Barcola went off injured and Frimpong had a goal ruled out.

In this match, Liverpool forward Ekitike was unavailable due to injury, while Munoz was on the bench. New signing Barcola made his first start for the Reds, and Isak played as the lone striker. For Atletico Madrid, Ortiz was suspended, and Alvarez made his first start of the new season, forming a two-man forward line with South Korean striker Lee Kang-in.

Less than one minute after kickoff, Szoboszlai played the ball out during a counterattack and Isak's low shot from the right side of the penalty area went wide of the left post. In the 5th minute, Lee Kang-in set up Alvarez, whose effort inside the box was dealt with by Alisson. In the 7th minute, Mac Allister's shot from the top of the penalty arc was blocked by a defender. In the 13th minute, Baena's shot from the top of the penalty arc went over the bar. In the 15th minute, Szoboszlai sent a long pass from the back, and Barcola's shot from the right side of the six-yard box was saved by Oblak.

In the 17th minute, Atletico Madrid took the lead. Alvarez played a diagonal pass, Llorente broke through for a one-on-one chance and scored from near the penalty spot, making it 1-0. This was the fifth time in Llorente's career that he had scored against Liverpool, and he became the visiting player with the most Champions League goals at Anfield.

In the 27th minute, Baena played a long pass, and Alvarez's close-range shot from the left side of the top of the penalty area was pushed out by Alisson. Later, Simeone's long-range effort from a corner was blocked. In the 28th minute, Mac Allister received a yellow card for a foul on Barrios. In the 36th minute, Ngumoha's shot inside the box was blocked by a defender. Four minutes later, Kerkez played a diagonal pass, and Barcola's low shot from the right side of the penalty area was brilliantly saved by Oblak.

In the 40th minute, Liverpool equalized. Araujo's backheel set up the move, and Szoboszlai fired a low shot into the far corner from the right side of the six-yard box to make it 1-1. Szoboszlai scored his second goal of the season.

At halftime, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid went into the break level at 1-1 at Anfield.

The second half began. In the 47th minute, Mac Allister's corner found Araujo, whose header missed the target. In the 49th minute, Wirtz passed the ball to Barcola, whose shot inside the box went wide of the left post.

In the 50th minute, Liverpool completed the comeback. Ngumoha's shot from the left side of the penalty area was blocked, then Isak laid the ball off and Mac Allister smashed a shot into the near corner from the left side of the top of the penalty area to make it 2-1. It was Mac Allister's first goal of the season and his first club competition goal since March.

In the 51st minute, Puevyl was shown a yellow card for a foul on Ngumoha. In the 60th minute, Liverpool replaced the injured Barcola with Munoz. In the 64th minute, Szoboszlai delivered a corner and Araujo's header went over the bar. In the 69th minute, Simeone set up Alvarez, whose shot inside the box was saved by Alisson. In the 79th minute, Wirtz played a diagonal pass and Isak's shot from the left side of the six-yard box was blocked out for a corner.

In the 80th minute, Szoboszlai's corner found Araujo, whose header missed the target. In the 82nd minute, Grimaldo's left-side corner found Hincapie, whose near-post header went over the bar. In the 89th minute, Wirtz played a through ball, Munoz's low shot from the left side of the penalty area was saved by Oblak, and Frimpong scored from the rebound, but the goal was ruled out because Frimpong was offside.

In the end, Liverpool came from behind to defeat Atletico Madrid 2-1 at home.

Starting lineups for both teams:

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): 1-Alisson / 33-Araujo, 4-Van Dijk, 5-Jaque, 6-Kerkez (88' 21-Tsimikas) / 8-Szoboszlai, 10-Mac Allister (69' 38-Gravenberch) / 29-Barcola (60' 23-Munoz), 7-Wirtz, 73-Ngumoha (60' 30-Frimpong) / 9-Isak (88' 67-Koumas)

Atletico Madrid (3-5-2): 13-Oblak / 17-Hincapie, 21-Romero (77' 24-Le Normand), 18-Puevyl / 14-Llorente, 10-Baena (73' 15-David), 6-Koke (59' 11-Lookman), 8-Barrios (77' 23-Jorgensen), 20-Simeone / 7-Lee Kang-in (59' Grimaldo), 19-Alvarez

(Original report by Sohu Sports, Gerard)