Hwang Hee-Chan and Takumi Minamino both found the net as their RB Salzburg faced Liverpool in the second round of the AFC Champions League Group Stage, but were unable to emerge with anything to show from the game after a 4-1 defeat.
Liverpool raced into a two-goal lead playing incredibly slick football and broke past the Austrian side’s defense after just nine minutes courtesy of Sadio Mane. Andy Robertson doubled the lead with a strikers’ finish in the 25th minute, and Mohamed Salah’s goal in the 36th looked to have put the game beyond doubt.
However, RB Salzburg were unwilling to give up and pulled themselves back into the game just six minutes before half time. Korean striker Hwang Hee-chan fashioned a chance for himself, receiving the ball at the left edge of the box and shifting away from Van Dijk onto his right foot. He then fired a shot into the far corner of the net to make the score 3-1 going into the break.
Minamino was the next player to step up for Salzburg, as his goal pulled the score even closer to 3-2. The Japanese international met Hwang’s cross with incredible precision, as the ball bounced off the ground and nestled in the far corner beyond a bemused Adrian in the Liverpool goal.
Salzburg eventually drew level right on the hour mark courtesy of Erling Braut Haaland. Minamino was once again involved as he picked up the ball in front of Van Dijk and slipped the ball across the box for Haaland, who made no mistake in slotting the ball into the empty net from point-blank range.
However, the defending European champions had the last laugh, as Mohammed Salah reached Roberto Firmino’s knockdown before the Salzburg defenders and lobbed the ball over the onrushing Cican Stankovic to give the hosts a 4-3 lead.
This result leaves RB Salzburg in third place in Group E with three points after two games. They remain behind group favorites Liverpool and Napoli and hope to cause an upset when they host the Italian side in the next round of games.