LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — It is season of forgetting For Mohamed Salah.
However, the Egyptian icon led Liverpool to the quarter-finals. champions league He scored his 50th Champions League goal on Wednesday.
However, this is still far from vintage Salah. He got so many first-half penalties wrong that it was difficult to tell whether he was going for a bold “Panenka” chip or whether it was just a bad kicking mistake. Either way, it was an embarrassing moment just before half-time, typical of a campaign in which Salah’s powers appear to have diminished.
That all changed after the break, when he was at the center of Liverpool’s goal streak in a 4-1 aggregate win against Galatasaray. Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain.
“That speaks to his mental strength,” Liverpool manager Arne Slott said.
Liverpool took a 1-0 lead at half-time thanks to a goal from Dominik Szoboszlai, before Hugo Ekitike doubled their advantage with a goal from Salah’s cross. Two minutes later, his powerful shot was saved by Galatasaray goalkeeper Uglucan Çakir, and the rebound allowed Ryan Gravenbirch to score Liverpool’s third goal.
Then came the moment Salah, and the Anfield crowd, had been waiting for, cutting in from the right and curling a left-footed shot into the top corner from just outside the box.
Slott described it as a “trademark goal”.
The home fans cheered and shouted their hero’s name. He was given a standing ovation when he was sent off in the second half due to a possible injury.
Salah should have scored another goal and left the field, but his shot hit the bar from close range.
It was a reminder that he’s not yet at his deadly best and it’s uncertain whether he’ll ever be there again when he turns 33.
His goal took his tally to 10 this season, significantly lower than the 34 that led Liverpool to the Premier League title last season.
This time last year he was getting nervous. the end of his contract is near And a new contract was still uncertain.
For many Liverpool fans, the thought of losing him was unthinkable, having helped the club win numerous trophies since joining in 2017, including the Champions League and two Premier Leagues.
The question for Liverpool’s hierarchy was whether they would take the lucrative risk of extending a contract with a player who had enjoyed his best years, even if he had had such a great season.
There was never a chance he would repeat that feat again, but few would have predicted the decline he has seen this season.
after that, Very public row with coach slots After being eliminated ahead of the African Cup of Nations in December.
The aftermath quickly passed, but Salah’s form remains below his best.
With one year left on his contract, it remains to be seen what his future holds at Liverpool and whether he will fulfill his contract.
But Wednesday was a reminder of what he can still produce. And even in a year where Liverpool’s title defense has collapsed, there is still hope for the Champions League.
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James Robson is https://x.com/James Saran Robson
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
