Match ends, Borussia Dortmund 1, Liverpool 1.
B DortmundBorussia Dortmund1LiverpoolLiverpool1
Divock Origi gave Liverpool a potentially crucial away goal in their Europa League quarter-final tie with Borussia Dortmund as the first leg in Germany ended in a draw.
The Belgium striker struck on Reds boss Jurgen Klopp's return to his former club with a low finish across goal.
Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller then denied Origi one-on-one.
Mats Hummels headed in an equaliser and the hosts pressed in search of a winner, but Liverpool kept them at bay.
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In the end it was a fair result as Dortmund, favourites to win the Europa League, dominated possession but Klopp's tactics ensured Liverpool frustrated their opponents, restricting them to few real chances.
A stirring rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone - a song both teams have adopted as their football anthem - before kick-off set the tone for the game, with a special atmosphere playing its part in an encounter that was tense and, at times, thrilling.
Klopp gets his tactics right
Some eyebrows were raised before kick-off when Klopp decided to start Origi instead of England international Daniel Sturridge.
Origi had not scored since 14 February, while Sturridge appeared to be finding his form after returning from injury with three goals in nine games.
The 20-year-old was nothing more than a spectator in the opening stages as Liverpool soaked up some early pressure, but Klopp said before the game that he had given him the nod because of his pace and power - and both were on show when the visitors took the lead.
He controlled captain Jordan Henderson's slightly awkward ball superbly before turning towards goal and steering a low strike into the far corner.
From then on, Origi held up the ball excellently to relieve some pressure on a defence that unsurprisingly came under some heavy pressure at times.
In Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Dortmund possess one of the most lethal finishers in Europe, but Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho stood up to the task of nullifying the 33-goal Gabon striker.
He was limited to one real chance, an effort from close range that was blocked by Lovren, while Sakho threw his body in the way of Henrikh Mkhitaryan to deny what was an almost certain goal.
Eyes on Klopp for 'El Kloppico'
Interest in Klopp's return to Dortmund was huge in the build-up.
The 48-year-old German is fondly remembered for his achievements at the club he managed for seven years from 2008, having led them to two Bundesliga titles as well the final of the Champions League in 2013.
Around 20 television crews and some 100 journalists were in attendance for his pre-match news conference, while one German TV had been planning a 'Klopp Cam', which would have focused on the Liverpool boss for the full 90 minutes - although that idea was ultimately shelved.
When Klopp emerged before the match, his name was chanted by the home fans but the Liverpool boss was evidently keen to make sure he was not the centre of attention.
After acknowledging the home fans with a clap, he switched focus firmly to his own players warming up and there was no doubt about where his allegiances lie when he thumped his chest and roared in delight after Origi's goal.
Advantage Liverpool?
Despite the away goal, the tie is far from over. Dortmund have scored in each of their previous six away games, including two goals at Tottenham in the previous round of the competition.
Improving their defending at set-pieces will also be key for Liverpool. Hummels was left unmarked to head in the simplest of goals from a corner, meaning the past three goals Liverpool have conceded in the Europa League have been from set-pieces.
History is on Liverpool's side, though. They have progressed from 11 of their past 12 European ties in which they have drawn the first leg away from home.
Man of the match - Mamadou Sakho
What they said
Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel: "In a quarter-final it can be that you don't deserve to win and that was the case.
"This was exactly what we expected from Liverpool - but we expected ourselves to be better, freer in our passing and with a better rhythm.
"We are able to score away goals as well. We are not frightened and we are not too disappointed. Tonight was not our top performance and to win you need a top performance.
"We have been to a lot of places and scored and won. It's half-time and the players are confident. We are looking forward to the game at Anfield."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "Dortmund is a pretty good side and everyone could see that, but we had our moments and we could have won the game.
"I'm pretty sure a lot of people thought we would lose 2-0, 3-0 or 4-0. But at some moments we had Dortmund and around our goal we were brilliant.
"We are not that far on our way to being like they are. We cannot at the moment play like they play, but we can defend and score goals so we can win."
On his own reception from the Dortmund fans: "It was nice. A lot of people spoke about it but when I came onto the pitch it was respectful applause and that's nice. That's how it should be."
The stats you need to know
- Divock Origi scored his first Europa League goal for Liverpool and his first since October 2014 for Lille against Wolfsburg.
- Origi is the ninth different Liverpool player to score in the Europa League this season, with only Lazio and Napoli (10) having more different scorers.
- Five of Origi's six Liverpool goals have been scored away from home.
- Mats Hummels scored Borussia Dortmund's fifth goal from a corner in the Europa League, more than any other side in the competition.
- Dortmund have been eliminated on five of the six occasions they've drawn the first leg of a European tie at home.
What next?
Liverpool host Stoke in the Premier League on Sunday, while Dortmund travel to Schalke in the Bundesliga on the same day. The two sides then meet at Anfield in the Europa League quarter-final second leg on Thursday, 14 April.
Line-ups
B Dortmund
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1WeidenfellerBooked at 45mins
- 26Piszczek
- 6BenderSubstituted forPapastathopoulosat 76'minutesBooked at 81mins
- 15Hummels
- 29Schmelzer
- 33Weigl
- 27Castro
- 37DurmSubstituted forSahinat 45'minutes
- 10Mkhitaryan
- 11ReusBooked at 52mins
- 17AubameyangSubstituted forPulisicat 77'minutes
Substitutes
- 14Leitner
- 18Sahin
- 22Pulisic
- 23Kagawa
- 25Papastathopoulos
- 28Ginter
- 38Bürki
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 22Mignolet
- 2Clyne
- 6Lovren
- 17Sakho
- 18Moreno
- 14HendersonSubstituted forAllenat 45'minutes
- 23CanBooked at 9mins
- 7Milner
- 20LallanaBooked at 44minsSubstituted forFirminoat 77'minutes
- 27OrigiSubstituted forSturridgeat 84'minutes
- 10Coutinho
Substitutes
- 4K Touré
- 11Firmino
- 15Sturridge
- 24Allen
- 33Ibe
- 44B Smith
- 52Ward
- Referee:
- Carlos Velasco Carballo
- Attendance:
- 65,848
Match Stats
Home TeamB DortmundAway TeamLiverpool
- Possession
- Home64%
- Away36%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away6
- Corners
- Home5
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away14
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Borussia Dortmund 1, Liverpool 1.
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Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).
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Foul by Sokratis (Borussia Dortmund).
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Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Nuri Sahin (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).
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Offside, Liverpool. Simon Mignolet tries a through ball, but Daniel Sturridge is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Daniel Sturridge replaces Divock Origi.
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Foul by Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Borussia Dortmund).
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Joe Allen (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Dangerous play by Divock Origi (Liverpool).
Booking
Sokratis (Borussia Dortmund) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Sokratis (Borussia Dortmund).
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Divock Origi (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Alberto Moreno (Liverpool).
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Foul by Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund).
