{"id":353933,"date":"2026-03-19T07:10:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T07:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/353933\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T07:10:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T07:10:09","slug":"slot-hails-salah-mentality-after-liverpool-penalty-miss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/353933\/","title":{"rendered":"Slot hails Salah mentality after Liverpool penalty miss"},"content":{"rendered":"

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot praised the mentality of Mohamed Salah after the forward responded to missing a penalty with an inspired second-half performance in the 4-0 Champions League win over Galatasaray<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Egypt international, who has had well-publicised issues with the Reds boss, is having his worst season at the club and it seemed his luck was not going to change when he saw Ugurcan Cakir saved his unconvincing spot-kick just before the break after Dominik Szoboszlai had given them the lead.<\/p>\n

But the 33-year-old moved up a gear after the break, providing the assist for Hugo Ekitike’s important second goal with the rebound from his half-volley dispatched by Ryan Gravenberch.<\/p>\n

He then produced a trademark goal, cutting in from the right to curl home left-footed to become the first African player to score 50 Champions League goals as Liverpool comfortably over-turned a 1-0 first-leg deficit.<\/p>\n

\u26bd GOAL Liverpool 4-0 Galatasaray (agg 4-1)
After a first-half penalty miss, Mo Salah finally claims his 50th Champions League goal in spectacular fashion
\ud83d\udcfaWatch live on @rte2<\/a> and @RTEplayer<\/a>
\ud83d\udcf1Updates – https:\/\/t.co\/C9bp0HMldb<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/jQxLovfVvC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 RT\u00c9 Sport (@RTEsport) March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Salah finished with a personal xG (expected goals) of 2.42. The team\u2019s as a whole was 5.02.<\/p>\n

“It says a lot about him that after you miss a penalty just before half-time as that can sometimes be hard for an individual or for a team,” said Slot.<\/p>\n

PENALTY MISS
Liverpool 1-0 Galatasaray (agg 1-1)
Mo Salah fails to convert from the penalty spot as Ugurcan Cak\u0131r saves with his legs
\ud83d\udcfaWatch live on @rte2<\/a> and @RTEplayer<\/a>
\ud83d\udcf1Updates – https:\/\/t.co\/C9bp0HMldb<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/vHfo9ZFYqg<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 RT\u00c9 Sport (@RTEsport) March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

“We have had a lot of setbacks this season, a lot of first halves or second halves where we have created chance after chance after chance without doing justice to how we have performed \u2013 so not scoring.<\/p>\n

“And then Mo and the team came out in the second half the way they did; he assisted Hugo, a great assist, and then scored a trademark goal that he has scored so many times in this stadium and for this club, cutting inside, finding the corner.<\/p>\n

“So that tells you a lot about his mental strength but definitely also of the team, because adversity is something we can definitely talk about in this season.<\/p>\n

“Injury-wise he came off not because he had scored enough but because he felt something so let\u2019s see where he is for the weekend and afterwards.”<\/p>\n

Having overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit with an energetic, exciting performance, the victory set up a quarter-final against holders Paris St Germain, who knocked out Liverpool on penalties a year ago.<\/p>\n

“When you get to the latter stages you know one thing for sure is that you will play PSG,” added Slot.<\/p>\n

“They are an incredible team. We experienced that last season when we faced them away from home, very difficult, here at Anfield we played a fantastic game.<\/p>\n

“The best game I have managed in my career in terms of how it was played, both teams wanting to entertain the fans.”<\/p>\n

Slot admitted the key was now to maintain their standards until the end of the season.<\/p>\n

“We have to try to find consistency \u2013 although I can already spoil or disappoint people as this performance is impossible to copy one more time because (it was) 5.02 xG on a Champions League night, conceding 0.18 xG.”<\/p>\n