Liverpool impress in Champions League qualification

Liverpool overcame a slow start to beat hosts Ajax Amsterdam 3-0 ensuring a top-two finish in Group A and progress into the knockout stage of the Champions League.

Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead against the run of play three minutes before halftime and they then took command after the break with two quick goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott to claim a convincing triumph.

The victory kept them three points behind leaders Napoli, who won 3-0 at home against Rangers in Italy at the same time to make it five out of five in the group.

Napoli will be at Anfield next Tuesday to decide top place, when Liverpool would need victory by at least 3-0 to edge the Serie A leaders on the head-to-head result between the two after losing 4-1 in Naples in September.

Rangers have lost all five games.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur’s late header salvaged a 1-1 draw against Sporting to keep the London side in control of their own destiny in Group D after Harry Kane had a last-gasp winner disallowed on Wednesday.

Spurs thought they had sealed the victory to take them through to the last 16 with a game to spare when Kane fired home with almost the last kick of the game but after a lengthy VAR check his effort was disallowed for offside in the build-up.

The result left Tottenham top of a desperately tight group on eight points, with Sporting and Eintracht Frankfurt, who beat Olympique de Marseille 2-1, on seven. Marseille have six.

Spurs will qualify for the knockout stage if they avoid defeat at Marseille next week.

Bayern Munich and Inter Milan secured the top two spots in Group C after the Germans beat Barcelona 3-0 and Inter beat Viktoria Plzen 4-0.

Porto also secured their place in the next round.

-Reuters