UCL: Klopp cautions Liverpool after strong show at first-leg of semis against Villarreal

Following his team's 2-0 win over Villarreal in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said that it is only 'half-time'.

Liverpool are one step closer to a third UEFA Champions League final in five seasons after a 2-0 win against Villarreal in the first leg of their semi-final tie at Anfield on Wednesday.

"Two-nil on aggregate but it is half-time. No more, no less," Klopp said.

The manager expressed his pleasure at the performance of the team saying, "The way we played, the way we defended very well, the way we attacked very well. We had to score goals. It was clear we had to keep going. Villarreal, in one moment, when they can get out of the press, they are immediately a threat. If we do not win the ball there, we are in between everything. We did that well most of the time," Sky Sports quoted the German after the match.

Acknowledging that the team has to do well in the second leg as well, he said, "Nothing has happened yet. If you play a game and are 2-0 at half time, you have to be 100 per cent on alert. We know we will go there and it will be a tricky atmosphere for us. If they beat us 2-0 over there and go to the final they deserve it. If they do not, we deserve it."

Liverpool scored twice in three second-half minutes to assume control of their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Villarreal.

The Premier League side could so easily have been out of sight even before half-time as several of their players missed their chances in the first 45 minutes. If not dominant enough in the opening period, the six-time winners went up a gear after the interval. Fabinho's header was ruled out for an offside in the build-up, but three minutes later the hosts were in front when Henderson's cross ballooned into the net via a deflection off Pervis Estupinan and a Geronimo Rulli fist.

Liverpool threatened to cut loose when Mane latched on to Salah's cute through ball before poking past Rulli, but Villarreal managed to limit the damage.

Mane has now moved level alongside Didier Drogba (both 14) as the leading African goalscorer in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League.

( With inputs from ANI )

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