Jurgen Klopp Says 'The Game Is Still On' After Liverpool Beat Porto 2-0 in UCL

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said "the game is still on" after his side beat Porto 2-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at Anfield on Tuesday. 

Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino scored first-half goals, and the hosts were able to avoid conceding an away goal, although Trent Alexander-Arnold was fortunate not to concede a penalty for handball just before the half hour:

Sadio Mane also had the ball in the net just after half-time, but his goal was ruled out for offside.

In the round of 16 of last season's competition, Liverpool won 5-0 at Porto in the first leg to wrap up the tie after 90 minutes.

Ahead of next week's return to the Estadio do Dragao for this season's quarter-final second leg, Klopp made it clear Liverpool still have a lot of work to do, per Liverpool's official website:

"I would have loved it if Sadio's goal would have counted because it was a brilliant situation, a brilliant situation. All good, 2-0, the game is still on. We have to go there. We have to fight. Porto will try everything to strike back—and that will be a really tough game again, but that's how it should be in the quarter-finals. We will be ready."

Keita's second goal in as many games for Liverpool came via a huge deflection in the fifth minute.

But Firmino's strike midway through the first half was high quality as he tapped in Alexander-Arnold's cross following Jordan Henderson's excellent ball through the defence (U.S. and UK only, respectively):

Henderson, playing in a more advanced role than usual, also floated a fine delivery into the area for Mane's disallowed goal.

Klopp hailed his captain's performance after the match:

"He obviously likes the position, and so it was my fault that for one-and-a-half years he was in position No. 6…sorry for that. But we needed him there. It was a really good performance. The second goal was brilliant, and he had the cross for Sadio's goal as well, and if it was an inch offside it was still a brilliant cross. Brilliant play, and I liked it."

The German manager also said Keita, who has failed to hit his best form regularly on Merseyside since his summer arrival, was "really, really good tonight."

One Liverpool player who did not have his best game was Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian missed a glorious chance when one-on-one with the goalkeeper at 1-0 (U.S. only):

And he was fortunate not to be sent off late on:

However, on the balance of play Liverpool deserved their 2-0 win, and they are in the driving seat to qualify for the last four, especially given they managed to keep a clean sheet.