Ajax boss Alfred Schreuder admits Liverpool’s late Champions League winner left him feeling “quite sour" – but had no complaints with the outcome.
Joel Matip towered home a header from a corner a minute from the end of normal time to earn the Reds a 2-1 triumph in their Group A clash at Anfield.
While Mohammed Kudus had equalised before half-time following Mohamed Salah ’s opener, the visitors were outplayed for large parts of the game.
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And Schreuder said: “We played against a top team tonight. We had a lot of problems in possession to find the free man.
“It demands more courage from us. Liverpool played with lots of intensity and we had some problems coping with that.
“In the first half the first time we showed courage it resulted in the goal, that gave us a bit more belief to do it. Liverpool’s last pass in attack wasn’t always great and that resulted in a back and forth game you don’t really want.
“We got more grip on the game in the last 20 minutes. We had the chance with Daley Blind of course. At the end, when the goal happens with a dead-ball situation it’s quite sour. We have lots of young players and they can learn a lesson from that.
“I can live with the defeat, of course. I can’t say it was underserved. Liverpool were the better team this evening, there’s no shame in that but you have to learn from that. We have to look at what we can do better.”
Schreuder added: “We will have a look further at the intensity and we can always learn about that, we don’t have that in the Dutch league, it’s quicker at this level. It’s a learning moment for us.
“I had hoped we would have done better at the beginning. There was definitely space but we were put under pressure. We got out of it a few times pretty well. Liverpool took a few more risks.
“Thiago was an extra weapon on the midfield and he could switch the play. It’s a top team. It’s not for nothing they are the favourites in this group.”
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