Liverpool made to rue penalty miss as Sevilla come back to draw

Liverpool started the game on the front foot with Emre Can and Jordan Henderson seeing early efforts kept out by Sergio Rico in the visitors’ goal.

Despite their promising start, the hosts found themselves behind after just five minutes as Wissam Ben Yedder struck from close range.

Joaquin Correa was given space down the left to get his head up and dig out a cross and when Liverpool failed to deal with the danger, the striker was on hand to tap home from five yards.

Not that Liverpool looked too flustered by the set-back, Roberto Firmino headed over from a corner after 11 minutes as he looked to give his side a route back into the game.

Loris Karius had to be alert to come out and meet Ben Yedder as he looked to wriggle his way through but with just a quarter of the game gone Liverpool levelled.

Albert Moreno got the byline courtesy of a one-two with Henderson on the edge of the box and the Spaniard’s low cross was duly converted from six yards by Roberto Firmino.

Jurgen Klopp’s side looked a threat on the counter all night and could have taken the lead just two minutes later as they countered at pace.

Sadio Mane carried the ball 30+ yards before slipping in Can on the overlap to his left but with just Rico to beat the German dragged his left-footed effort just wide of the far post.

Sevilla grew into the game at this point, enjoying more possession but not doing an awful lot with it.

Can once again tried his luck from range just after the half hour mark before Liverpool took the lead.

Salah showed good tenacity to win the ball back just outside the Sevilla box and as he took aim from 25 yards, his shot took a huge deflection off Lenglet and looped over Rico and into the back of the net.

The ‘Reds’ could have extended their lead further just before half-time when they were awarded a penalty after a clumsy challenge from Pareja on Mane.

Firmino stepped up to take the spot kick but he fired against the post despite sending Rico the wrong way.

Despite their disappointment the hosts didn’t look too concerned, continuing to counter with gay abandon and only a sharp stop from Rico down to his left prevented Moreno on the stroke of half-time.

The second half was less frantic than the first, with Sevilla enjoying long spells of possession.

Despite that, they failed to create any real chances, with Dejan Lovren doing well to prevent Ben Yedder from getting in on a couple of occasions.

Can saw an effort from range blocked away before a scruffy-looking shot from Salah forced Rico into a save away to his left.

Firmino fired wide from 25 yards just after the hour mark, before Wijnaldum latched onto a half-cleared corner and saw a low effort shoveled away by Rico.

The hosts were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal as the visitors drew level after 72 minutes.

Substitute Luis Muriel latched onto a quickly-taken throw in and drove towards the box.

He played in Joaquin Correa who gathered the ball and curled it past Karius and into the top corner.

Despite there still being plenty of time left at this point neither side really looked like scoring a winner.

Lovren looped a header well over Rico’s crossbar from a corner before Sarabia saw a volley blocked for the away side as the game slipped away to a draw.

Muriel perhaps could have won the game late on when he was put in over the top but he fired wide when one-on-one with Karius.

Things got worse for the hosts in the final minute of added time as young defender Joe Gomez was dismissed for a second yellow card after going in late on Muriel.

In the end, Jurgen Klopp’s men were left wondering what might have been if Firmino had not missed his first half penalty.

Next up for Liverpool in the Champions League is the long trip to Moscow to face Spartak.

Sevilla on the other hand face Maribor at home on Tuesday September 26.

Things are very much still up for grabs in Group E after Maribor and Spartak played out a 1-1 draw in the other game in the group on Wednesday.