Thiago Alcantara’s sublime long-range strike and Mohamed Salah’s latest individual goal maintained Liverpool’s perfect record in its Champions League group with a 2-0 win over Porto on Wednesday.
Liverpool were assured of advancing to the last -6 even before a fifth-straight victory in Group B, while Porto stayed in second place ahead of a match against Atletico Madrid in two weeks that will help to determine which team qualifies with the English club.
Thiago’s 52nd-minute opener was a thing of beauty, the Spain midfielder meeting a headed clearance with a first-time shot off his laces from 30 yards out that stayed low and flew into the corner.
Salah then scored a 10th goal in his last 10 Champions League games — and his 17th in all competitions this season — by dropping his shoulder as he drifted into the area from the right and shooting low inside the near post in the 70th minute.
Liverpool will look to complete a clean sweep of victories in the group stage, a feat never achieved by an English team, in their closing game against AC Milan.
On the same night, Porto host Atletico, which like Milan have four points. A win would guarantee Porto’s progression to the knockout stage.
