Bologna were beaten 2-0 at Anfield by Alexis Mac Allister and a Mohamed Salah stunner, but tested Alisson Becker several times.
The Rossoblu started their European campaign with a 0-0 home draw against Shakhtar Donetsk, with Lukasz Skorupski saving a penalty, while the Reds had won 3-1 away to Milan. Nicolò Cambiaghi, Lewis Ferguson and Oussama El Azzouzi were injured, but Santiago Castro had a bruised calf, so Thijs Dallinga started. Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott missed out for the hosts.
See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.
After just 90 seconds, Stefan Posch risked bundling a clearance into his own net from six yards, while Dallinga had scored on 10 minutes, but only after wandering offside.
Moments later, Liverpool took the lead at the other end when Mohamed Salah’s floated cross from the right saw Alexis Mac Allister beat Luis Diaz to the tap-in, as they were lining up at the back post undisturbed.
That ball from Salah 😮💨
Alexis Mac Allister gives Liverpool an early lead at Anfield 💪
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/tFciBfm15D
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 2, 2024
The hosts also had a goal ruled offside, as Darwin Nunez started the run a little too quickly on the Trent Alexander-Arnold through ball and was caught out by the Bologna defence.
Dominik Szoboszlai drilled inches wide on a Salah pull-back, but the Italians threatened an equaliser when Dan Ndoye’s scorcher from a tricky angle thumped the crossbar.
Bologna caused Liverpool a lot of problems, as Ndoye then robbed Alexander-Arnold to set up Kacper Urbanski and bring a desperate save out of birthday boy Alisson Becker.
After the restart, Alisson was again alert with a big save on Riccardo Orsolini after a free kick, but Salah was more precise and bent a wonderful finish into the far top corner from the edge of the penalty area.
There’s no stopping that 👑
Mo Salah with an incredible left-footed strike into the top corner 🎯
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Qy7y08pCzL
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 2, 2024
Liverpool 2-0 Bologna
Mac Allister 11 (L), Salah 75 (L)
Player statistic
| Alexis Mac Allister (Assist: Mohamed Salah) |
 |
11' | ||
| Virgil van Dijk |  |
26' | ||
| Ibrahima Konaté | |
39' | ||
| 39' | |
Sam Beukema |
| Andrew Robertson | |
55' | ||
| 67' | |
Michel Aebischer | ||
| Mohamed Salah (Assist: Dominik Szoboszlai) |
|
75' | ||
| Konstantinos Tsimikas | |
90' |
