Liverpool 4, Dortmund 3 (5-4 agg): First thoughts

Liverpool 4: Origi 48', Coutinho 66', Sakho 78', Lovren 90+1
Dortmund 3: Mkhitaryan 5', Aubameyang 9', Reus 57'

• Pre-game Thoughts: OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD! Nerves abound and I can barely type. I've seriously not been this pumped for a match since the title challenge in 13/14. A bit of a surprise in the line-up, as Wee Joe Allen is left off in favor of Roberto Firmino. Clearly, Klopp & Co. are not planning to sit back and play for a scoreless draw, but are going to try to come out and bag some goals. Regardless of the outcome, these are the games we live for when we support Liverpool Football Club. COME ON YOU REDS! 
  
  
• Y.N.W.A.
  
  
• Both sides going a million miles an hour straight from the opening kick. Aubameyang, unsurprisingly, creates the first heart-in-mouth moment, and fires the first shot just wide of the far post. 
  
  
• ***Goal*** Liverpool were so good at shutting down Dortmund's lightning-fast counters last week, but not tonight. Aubameyang latches on to an inch-perfect pass over the top, and Mignolet can only manage to palm away the shot as far as an on-rushing Mkhitaryan, who slots it home. 5 minutes in, and Liverpool are on the ropes early, and their away goal advantage has gone the way of the dodo. 
  
  
• ***Goal*** Well shit. Another fast counter sets Aubameyang off to the races, and he beats Mignolet near post with a perfectly placed shot. Now Liverpool need three. 
  
  
• 10 minutes into this tie, and I no longer like Borussia Dortmund. 
  
  
• Liverpool show a sign of life! Lallana puts Origi in on a well-placed through ball, but the young striker can't convert, and the shot is put behind for a corner. Still a good response, but we'll need much more of that to make a match out of it. 
  
  
• Lallana makes a hash of what should have been a big chance for a goal. The England international accidentally pokes the ball away from himself with his planting foot, and then hilariously whiffs on the shot. It's just going to be that sort of night, I suppose. 
  
  
• Origi goes close again! This time Milner creates a cross out of pure hustle and determination which somehow finds Origi. However the striker can only put the effort across the face of goal, and Liverpool are still searching for a way back into the tie. 
  
  
• Dortmund continue looking extremely dangerous. After a brief respite, BVB create a dangerous cross and a headed effort off a corner that left Mignolet scrambling. Things look bleak now for Liverpool, but a third goal would absolutely kill any remaining hope for the Reds in this tie. 
  
  
• Halftime: Ugh. Can't feel good after that half. After the early goals, Liverpool responded reasonably well, sans the whole "scoring goals" part. All six of Liverpool's shots were off target, and the Reds could do nothing with any of their five corners. To add insult to injury, Dortmund continue looking the more dangerous side, and created several very dangerous chances to nab their third. The Reds are going to need a European Night™ for the ages to get out of this mess alive. 
  
  
• ***GOAL!*** I scared the dog with my celebration on that one. Firmino puts Origi in on goal with a lovely through ball, and he does something our other Belgian striker hasn't manged this season: beat a keeper 1v1. Liverpool still need two more, but they're not going out without a fight. 
  
  
• ***Goal*** And this is why we can't have nice things. Marco Reus effectively kills the tie with a third after an excellent run in behind, and an inch-perfect finish into the far corner. 
  
  
• Red Panda on for La Llama, and Danny Sturridge on for Bobby Firmino. Wee Joe probably should have started, especially in retrospect. At this point, I hope we can get a goal or two back just for pride. 
  
  
• ***GOAL!*** This game certainly doesn't lack goals! Coutinho latches on to a ball at the top of the box, wraps his foot around it, and drives a low curler into the corner. 
  
  
• 70 minutes in and Liverpool finally seem to have a foothold in the match. The Reds are on the front foot and looking dangerous, but is it too little, too late? 
  
  
• Oh shit. Emre Can looks to be in bad shape as he's writhing in agony after a Liverpool corner. The Reds will have to take the ensuing corner short a man. 
  
  
• ***GOAL!*** WHAT. IS. HAPPENING? Liverpool finally score on a corner, this time Sahko gets a touch on another poorly-taken corner, and equalizes for the Reds! 13 minutes plus stoppage time to get one more! 
  
  
• Lucas comes on for an injured Can in the middle of this insanity. 
  
  
• ***GOAL!!!!!1!!!****DEJAN FUCKING LOVREN ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!
  
  
• Full Time: I've clearly died and gone to Anfield. 
  
  

We'll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today's game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven't already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we'll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.