18-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a sublime free kick to help Liverpool to a 2-1 win against Hoffenheim in their Champions League play-off tie and put them in the driving seat ahead of the return leg at Anfield.
Liverpool had only beaten a German side away from home once in their last 14 attempts before tonight but Jurgen Klopp's side put that stat to bed.
The 'Reds' started the game in the ascendancy, looking positive in possession and pushing their full-backs high when in possession of the ball.
Jurgen Klopp’s side had the ball in the net after just 2 minutes as Trent Alexander-Arnold found Mohamed Salah unmarked in the area. The Egyptian looped the ball over Baumann and into the far corner but the flag had long-since gone up.
Hoffenheim were next to threaten as they appealed for a penalty when Dejan Lovren appeared to play Demirbay’s deep free kick onto his arm but referee Bjorn Kuipers waved their appeals away.
Liverpool responded to that threat by trying to put the Germans on the back foot, Alberto Moreno fired in a low cross that was taken off Mohamed Salah’s toe before Sadio Mane saw a low effort from a narrow angle easily kept out by Baumann.
Hoffenheim were up in arms again after 12 minutes as Gnabry was brought down by a clumsy challenge from Lovren, this time the referee pointed to the spot.
Former Leicester City man Andrej Kramaric was the man tasked with tucking away the spot-kick but his poor effort was easily kept out by Simon Mignolet away to his left.
The German side were nearly made to pay for their profligacy just minutes later as Mohamed Salah raced clear from halfway after Vogt let the ball run. Unfortunately for Liverpool, Salah never really looked like he has the ball under control and Vogt got back to pressure the Egyptian who could only trickle a tame effort wide with his right foot from the edge of the box.
Hoffenheim started to take control of the game at this point, dominating possession without really creating a clear-cut chance.
Sandro Wagner tried his luck from range before Pavel Kaderabek volleyed over at the far post after Demirbay’s cross from the left.
Liverpool then shocked the hosts by taking the lead against the run of play. Sadio Mane was hacked down 25 yards out by Ermin Bicakcic and 18-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold curled the resulting free kick over the wall and into the far corner giving Baumann no chance.
Liverpool naturally gained in confidence from that moment on but both sides had great chances just before half-time.
For Hoffenheim, Gnabry found himself one-on-one after gathering a long ball but he was denied at point-blank range by Mignolet before Wagner's follow up went wide with a little help from the the post.
Liverpool then saw Dejan Lovren plant a header just wide of the right-hand post following a corner from the right.
The hosts went in at the break behind but they came out for the second half in a determined mood.
Liverpool started to threaten more on the counter though and the visitors went close when Sadio Mane left his man for dead before pulling the ball back to Roberto Firmino on the six-yard box but the former Hoffenheim man’s effort was well saved by Baumann.
Serge Gnabry then had the ball in the net but as with Salah’s effort in the first half it was rightly ruled out.
The German international beat Mignolet at the near post from an angle but he was correctly judged to have been offside in the build-up.
Mane then worked his magic again, cutting into a crowded box from the right and seeing a low effort shovelled away by Baumann.
Hoffenheim then mustered a period of pressure with a succession of corners but Liverpool managed to hold firm.
Gnabry fired a half-chance over the bar from the edge of the box after a low cross from Kramaric but from that point on the Germans appeared to be out on their feet.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side brought trouble of themselves as they cheaply gave away possession in their own half.
Can took advantage and played in Salah down the right but the Egyptian’s tame effort was saved by Baumann. The goalkeeper was called into action again from the resulting corner as Dejan Lovren rose highest but headed straight at Baumann.
Liverpool doubled their lead after 74 minutes. Wijnaldum took a quick free kick in midfield and Liverpool worked it wide on the left to Milner who was in acres of space. The England international proceeded to dink the ball over Baumann and into the far corner from the angle with the help of a nick off Nordtveit. Though it looked like he was originally trying to find Salah at the far post.
Hoffenheim could have been forgiven for losing heart at this point but from nowhere they found a second wind.
Demirbay saw a volley from the edge of the box well saved by Mignolet before their efforts were rewarded just three minutes from time. With Uth bringing down a long, diagonal ball from the right and firing a low effort past Mignolet and into the bottom corner to give the German side hope ahead of the second leg.
The hosts could even have snatched a draw late on but Hubner contrived to head over from six yards after being found unmarked by an excellent ball in from Demirbay.
Half-time in the tie, advantage Liverpool. How costly will that penalty miss prove to be?