Salah Scores 50th European Goal as Liverpool Advances to Champions League Last 16

LIVERPOOL, England — Mohamed Salah continued his remarkable form, scoring his 50th European goal for Liverpool as the Reds secured a 2-1 victory over Lille on Tuesday at Anfield, booking their place in the Champions League round of 16.

The Egyptian forward opened the scoring in the 34th minute, latching onto a precise through ball from Curtis Jones and calmly lifting the ball over Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier. The goal marked Salah’s 50th in European competitions for Liverpool, with 44 coming in the Champions League, five in the Europa League, and one in qualifying.

“We got the ball, and Curtis played it very well, and I managed to score,” Salah said post-match. His strike extended his record as Liverpool’s all-time leading European goalscorer and brought his tally to 20 Champions League goals at Anfield.

Despite Lille equalizing in the 62nd minute through Jonathan David, Liverpool regained the lead five minutes later when Harvey Elliott‘s deflected shot found the net. The victory maintained Liverpool’s perfect record in the competition, topping the 36-team table with 21 points.

Salah’s performance drew praise from former Liverpool players. “He is a real talisman for Liverpool,” said Robbie Fowler on Amazon Prime. “He is a game-winner, very comfortable in front of goal. If he misses a chance, he is not fazed because the next one he will score.”

The 32-year-old has been directly involved in 18 goals in 15 appearances at Anfield this season, scoring 10 and providing eight assists. His total of 39 goal involvements across all competitions is the highest of any player in Europe’s top five leagues.

While Salah’s long-term future at Liverpool remains uncertain, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, his focus remains on delivering on the pitch. “Hopefully, it’s not the last one, but I’m very proud of it,” Salah said of his milestone goal.

Liverpool will conclude the league phase of the Champions League on Jan. 29 with a trip to Sevilla, while Lille hosts Feyenoord.