Midtjylland 1-1 Liverpool: Much-changed group winners held

A much-changed Liverpool brought their Champions League group-stage campaign to a close with a 1-1 draw against Midtjylland.

Mohamed Salah looked to have set a Reds team featuring European debutant Leighton Clarkson up for a comfortable victory when he scored within the first minute in Denmark.

However, the spirited hosts fought back through Alexander Scholz's second-half penalty, and were perhaps unfortunate not to win at the end of a performance that belied their status as group whipping boys.

With a starting XI showing eight changes from the weekend win over Wolves, the visitors might have been expected to make a slow start to proceedings.

Instead, they netted the quickest goal in their Champions League history, Salah latching onto Scholz's loose backpass and fending off two defenders before poking home with 55 seconds gone.

It would have been 2-0 shortly after but for an instinctive Jesper Hansen save from Diogo Jota's close-range effort.

However, Midtjylland responded well, Sory Kaba drawing a goal-line clearance from Fabinho with a back-post header before testing Caoimhin Kelleher with a powerful shot from a tight angle.

The hosts took that attacking intent into the second half, too, Anders Dreyer meeting a dropping ball to smash the crossbar shortly after the restart.

And they were given a deserved route back into the game on the hour mark when Dreyer was adjudged - following a lengthy VAR check - to have brought down by an onrushing Kelleher in the box, allowing Scholz to score from the spot.

Seemingly at the heart of every key event in the match, Scholz thought he had grabbed his second with a fine finish from a tight angle following a set-piece delivery but this time the VAR intervention went against the hosts.

Takumi Minamino thought he had won it at the end when he turned home after latching onto Sadio Mane's header only for VAR to rule it out for a handball from the Senegalese.

What does it mean?

Both sides' Champions League fates were already decided before tonight, with Liverpool through as group winners and Midtjylland unable to claim a place in the Europa League.

However, the Danes restored a sense of pride with their performance, claiming a point from an opponent who will be among the favourites to go all the way in this competition.

What's next?

Liverpool turn their attentions back to defending the Premier League title when they face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday. Midtjylland, meanwhile, visit Odense as they look to maintain their lead in the Danish Superliga.