Van Dijk glad to grab late winner in Liverpool victory | OneFootball

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk praised his side’s fighting spirit after scoring a stoppage-time winner against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

The Reds made a perfect start at Anfield, racing into a two-goal lead inside the opening six minutes of play.

Atletico responded before the interval as Marcos Llorente reduced the deficit with a precise finish just before half-time.

Van Dijk delivers decisive moment

Atletico believed they had rescued a point late in the second half when Llorente struck again in the 81st minute with a powerful effort.

However, Liverpool kept pressing for another goal and Van Dijk delivered the decisive strike in the 92nd minute to seal victory for Arne Slot’s men.

Speaking to TNT Sport after the match, Van Dijk admitted it was not always comfortable but highlighted his side’s determination to keep pushing forward.

“We try, we kept pushing for the 3-1. We concede the equaliser, massively deflected. It was not great.”

The Dutch defender stressed that the team’s focus was on finding the breakthrough even after conceding late. His goal sparked huge celebrations inside Anfield as Liverpool stretched their winning momentum.

Reds extend late goal trend

The victory means Liverpool have now won five matches in a row after scoring decisive goals beyond the 80th minute. Van Dijk acknowledged the team’s persistence and expressed his joy at being the match-winner on the night.

“We found a way again. We were dangerous in our set-pieces anyway, they were pretty aggressive I must say. I’m glad I got the winner.”

Liverpool’s ability to produce goals in the dying minutes has been a key theme in recent weeks, underlining their belief and sharpness under pressure. The result also adds to their strong start in Europe this season.

Attention will now turn to the Merseyside Derby, where Liverpool welcome Everton to Anfield on 20 September.

Van Dijk’s contribution once again showed the leadership and presence he brings, with his late goal leaving Liverpool supporters celebrating another memorable night at Anfield.