Hoffenheim 1-2 Liverpool: Alexander-Arnold stunner helps Reds to Champions League win

TEENAGER Trent Alexander-Arnold spoiled Hoffenheim's big European debut with a special one of his own.

Posted Wednesday, August 16, 2017 by Dailystar.co.uk

Hoffenheim 1-2 Liverpool: Alexander-Arnold stunner helps Reds to Champions League win
Hoffenheim v Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrates his goal

But while Liverpool have two away goals, this Champions League play-off tie is still up for grabs.

The Reds take a slender advantage back to Anfield for next week's second leg - and two precious away goals.

But, if this is anything to go by, there will be more drama in seven days' time.

It was 18-year-old Alexander-Arnold's first-half free-kick that set the Reds on their way before a deflected cross from James Milner appeared to put one foot in the group stages for the Jurgen Klopp's men.

But substitute Mark Uth's late goal for the hosts at the Rhein-Neckar Arena opened the tie back up.

Liverpool were out to complete what Kop boss Klopp described "the most difficult steps" to the Champions League group stages after finishing fourth in Premier League last season.

But they started this as they finished in their 3-3 with Watford in their league opener on Saturday – all over the place at the back.

It took a last ditch lunge from Joel Matip to deny former Arsenal man Serge Gnabry from tapping home in just the sixth minute.

Then Dejan Lovren clumsily upended Gnabry in the area in the 11th minute to give the hosts at the Rhein-Neckar Arena the chance of a perfect start.

But it was a chance they blew tas former Leicester forward Andrej Kramaric's shocking penalty was punched away by Kop keeper Simon Mignolet, who later made another good save to deny Gnabry.

Just four minutes later, Mohamed Salah should have put Liverpool in front when Roberto Firmino, on his return to his former club, put the £36.9m summer signing clean through but he slid his shot wide.

The game had been going at a frantic pace but it cooled until Liverpool's other pacy forward Sadio Mane forced Ermin Bicakcic to foul him 25 yards from goal.

Emre Can, Alberto Moreno and Alexander-Arnold stood around the dead ball with the latter the least expected to strike.

But the right-back was the one to curl it over the wall and into the bottom corner.

In these parts the build-up was all about the Bundesliga side's big arrival in the Champions League.

The plucky side from the tiny village in the Rhein-Neckar region of Germany were looking to rub shoulders with Europe's elite.

Just a decade ago, Hoffenheim were not even a fully professional outfit and it was only nine years ago that they reached the Bundesliga.

Fairy-tale stuff but Alexander-Arnold was writing his own.

Hoffenheim 1-2 Liverpool: Alexander-Arnold stunner helps Reds to Champions League win
Liverpool scored two crucial away goals against Hoffenheim

When Hoffenheim were breaking into the Bundesliga, Alexander-Arnold was just eight and dreaming of one day donning the red shirt of his beloved Reds.

Now he can tick off scoring for Liverpool as well as playing in the Champions League for them.

Lovren should have put the Reds two up just before the break but he headed a Moreno corner just wide before Firmino, who spent four years at Hoffenheim, miscued after the restart.

Gnabry had the ball in the net but it was rightly ruled out for offside before the ex-Gunner snatched at another chance.

Milner's cross was then deflected into his own net by Havard Nordtveit with 16 minutes to go and the Reds substitute was almost embarrassed to celebrate.

Liverpool looked like they were coasting home until three minutes from the end when a long punt forward was beautifully controlled by Uth and gave Mignolet no chance.

The shine was slightly taken off Alexander-Arnold's night as he had allowed Uth in behind him as he pleaded in vain for offside.

Hoffenheim almost got an equaliser when Karem Demirbay's free-kick was met by Benjamin Hubner but his header went just over.

That will serve as the warning for next week. This tie is not over and there is still a lot of work to do for Liverpool until they are really back among Europe's best.