Senegalese forward Sadio Mane scored for Liverpool as they beat Benfica 2-1 in Portugal in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first-leg match on Tuesday evening.

Benfica featured experienced campaigners such as former Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi and ex-Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Jan Vertonghen.

On the other hand, Liverpool welcomed back left-back Trent Alexander-Arnold whereas Cameroonian centre-back Joel Matip was conspicuously missing from the line-up.

French defender Ibrahima Konate, who stepped in for Matip as Van Dijk’s partner, gave Liverpool the lead seventh minutes into the game via a header.

One goal soon became two 27 minutes later when Mane scored the visitors’ second goal with Arnold providing the assist.

Liverpool led 2-0 at half-time and five minutes into the second half, Darwin Nunez crawled back some respectability to the scoreline by scoring the consolation for Benfica.

The visitors wrapped up the evening with Luiz Diaz scoring the third goal for the Jurgen Klopp men whose dream for a treble is on track.

Starting Line-Ups:

Benfica: Vlachodimos; Gilberto, Otamendi, Vertonghen, Grimaldo; Weigl, Taarabt; Rafa, Ramos, Everton; Nunez

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Keita, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz