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Firmino shows eye for goal as Liverpool snatch late win from PSG

Julian Finney / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Roberto Firmino shrugged off a clump of Paris Saint-Germain defenders in the second minute of injury time for a dramatic winner at Anfield on Tuesday.

Liverpool were ahead through Daniel Sturridge - making his first Champions League start for the club despite joining back in January 2013 - and a James Milner penalty, but a left-footed swing from Thomas Meunier and 83rd-minute effort from Kylian Mbappe leveled the Champions League tussle.

Then Firmino, who was benched after suffering an eye injury against Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, was on hand to bag the crucial finish.

Elsewhere in Group C, Napoli were held to a 0-0 draw at Red Star Belgrade.

Sturridge was picked ahead of Firmino despite the Reds' assertions that the latter had no lasting damage from Jan Vertonghen's accidental eye gouge during Saturday's 2-1 win at Spurs. The former Manchester City and Chelsea striker ignited the game and justified his selection following a rather tepid half-hour when he headed in Andrew Robertson's cross.

It got worse for PSG. Juan Bernat's tough start to life in the French capital continued after a shaky showing against Saint-Etienne on Friday, as he tripped Georginio Wijnaldum in the box, and Milner confidently struck the penalty low to Alphonse Areola's left.

Meunier's powerful volley 40 minutes into the fixture caught Alisson Becker flat-footed, although that didn't increase PSG's threat level. Mohamed Salah thought he had restored Liverpool's two-goal advantage just short of the hour mark until Sturridge was adjudged to have stuck his boot into Areola's sensitive parts in the buildup. Sturridge could've added a couple more to his individual tally before his substitution on 72 minutes for Firmino.

Salah's sloppy pass was preyed upon in the middle of the park before Neymar and Mbappe combined for Paris Saint-Germain's equalizer. However, fan favorite Firmino seized the three points for Liverpool, benefitting after Mbappe was pickpocketed when dawdling in possession on the edge of his defensive third.

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