Liverpool manager Arne Slot marked his 100th match in charge with disappointment as his side suffered defeat against Galatasaray, who secured a slim advantage in their Champions League last-16 tie ahead of the return leg at Anfield next week.
Playing in front of a passionate crowd in Istanbul, Liverpool once again showed their vulnerability from set pieces. Mario Lemina scored the decisive goal in the seventh minute, heading home from close range after Victor Osimhen flicked on a Gabriel Sara corner. It was the 10th goal Liverpool have conceded from corners this season.
The former Southampton, Fulham and Wolves midfielder beat stand-in goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who started in place of the injured Alisson. The goal was Lemina’s first of the season and echoed a moment five years ago when he scored a winner at Anfield for Fulham in the Premier League.
Galatasaray nearly doubled their lead when Victor Osimhen capitalised on a major mistake by Ibrahima Konate and finished from close range. However, the goal was ruled out because Baris Alper Yilmaz was judged to be offside during the build-up, despite not touching the ball.
Liverpool believed they had equalised in the 70th minute when the ball crossed the line from Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner. But after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was disallowed as the ball was deemed to have struck Konate’s arm twice — first directly from the corner and again after deflecting off Virgil van Dijk’s heel.
Speaking after the match, Slot said the decision was difficult to judge.
“If the goal was correctly disallowed, then we accept it, although opinions differ,” he said. “In the Premier League more contact is usually allowed than in the Champions League. That’s why I was surprised it wasn’t given as a penalty because the referee was very quick to award Galatasaray free-kicks in other situations.”
The match was played at a frantic pace, and Liverpool actually had chances to take the lead before Galatasaray’s early goal. Florian Wirtz narrowly missed the target after a mistake by Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.
Even after going behind, Liverpool continued to create opportunities. Wirtz forced Cakir into a save, while Konate sent a powerful shot just over the crossbar.
Mamardashvili also had to make an important save to stop former Tottenham defender Davinson Sanchez from extending Galatasaray’s lead.
Despite their attacking threat, the Turkish champions occasionally looked shaky defensively. Cakir produced an excellent save to deny Hugo Ekitike after the forward’s clever run and chipped attempt.
Liverpool later thought they had equalised during a chaotic goalmouth scramble, but VAR intervened again, leaving Slot’s side with a difficult task heading into the second leg at Anfield on 18 March.
