It took a while, but Liverpool finally got a scoreline that befits the fixture.
After a goalless first half, Liverpool made a dent in Maribor’s armor and then kept working at it. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring early in the second half, then Liverpool won a penalty but James Milner couldn’t convert, and then around the hour mark Emre Can doubled the lead for the home side. All they needed was a third goal to put it away.
Just before the end of regulation, Daniel Sturridge happily obliged. In what turns out to be his first Champions League goal for the Reds, Sturridge lurked near the far post on a corner kick and had the ball drop perfectly for him. The result was inevitable and the finish was clean.
That’s 3-0 for Liverpool right before full time. A well-earned win for the Reds and a huge boost for their hopes of qualifying for the Knockout Stages.