Liverpool advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League with three quick goals before and after halftime to beat Ajax 3-0 on Wednesday.
Mohamed Salah opened the scoring with a fine shot in the 42nd minute, Darwin Núñez doubled the lead with a header four minutes into the second half and Harvey Elliott made it 3-0 with a powerful shot into the roof of the net in the 52nd minute as Liverpool woke up from a slow start to sweep Ajax at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk thought it was a good night’s work.
“In the end we won 3-0, advanced to the next round and kept a clean sheet,” he told Dutch television RTL7.
The hosts squandered two good chances in the first half before Liverpool took the initiative. Steven Berghuis hit the post from close range in just the third minute after being released by Brian Brobbey’s short pass. The young striker, who has been included in Dutch coach Louis van Gaal’s provisional World Cup squad, then set up Dusan Tadic in the 36th, but the Ajax captain shot directly at Trent Alexander-Arnold.
From then on, it was all Liverpool. A pass with the outside of his right foot from Jordan Henderson found Salah in the space between Daley Blind and Calvin Bassey, and the Egyptian forward lobbed the ball past Remko Pasveer for his sixth Champions League goal of the campaign. .
“Hendo’s sensational pass, then Mo’s finishing is outstanding,” Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said.
Núñez, recovered from a muscle injury, should have doubled the lead shortly before the break, but his shot hit the post. He made no mistake after the break when he stopped defender Jorge Sánchez and headed in a corner.
Salah became the provider for Elliott, who ran up to the Egyptian’s pass and fired a powerful shot past Pasveer to complete the scoring.
Defender Andy Robertson told BT Sport that Salah’s goal eased Liverpool’s nerves.
“We settled in after that and started playing our football. It’s always good to pass before the last game,” he said.
The only possible shadow over Liverpool’s night came when Henderson limped off in the 71st minute.
