When the half-time whistle blew, Roma looked as though they may be through with this already. Their talented midfielder Radja Nainggolan stared at the ground as though he could not believe quite how quickly this had fallen apart.
If it is any consolation, Nainggolan and his team-mates are in good company in Europe and the Premier League. Many have come here with hopes of achievement only to find themselves caught up in the ferocity of the Liverpool threshing machine. At Anfield, things can get away from you very quickly indeed.
The only sporting analogy that seems anywhere near appropriate is that it must be like walking onto a flurry of heavyweight punches. One moment you are in the fight and the next minute the lights have gone out.
Eusebio Di Francesco shows his frustration as his Roma side were beaten by Liverpool
The Italian watched his side’s hopes of reaching the final in Kiev in tatters after a 5-2 defeat
Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool raced into a 5-0 lead during the first leg at Anfield
Here at Anfield, Roma’s lights and indeed the ambitions of their coach Eusebio di Francesco seemed to be shut down for good until their two late goals gave them a fingertip’s grip back on the tie.
Di Francesco was brave here and that, ultimately, may prove to be his downfall. He clearly wanted to face this challenge like a man and credit to him for that. He tried to go to toe to toe with Liverpool and, years from now, will no doubt put it down to part of the education. In the short term, though, he will know that it didn’t really work.
Twenty minutes in and it did seem his plan was working.
As his goalkeeper Alisson Becker clutched the ball to his chest after collecting a cross, Di Francesco motioned for his players to move up the field. He didn’t want them sitting in their own half as so many teams do here, he wanted them in opposition territory, squeezing Liverpool in areas where they couldn’t hurt them.
Had an18th minute shot from Alexandar Kolarov gone in rather than strike the bar, Liverpool would have faced a real examination.
But the problem with being brave at Anfield is that it takes you to the edges of calamity. It offers your players an opportunity to achieve something unlikely but it also exposes them to great risk.
The Roma manager pictured in deep discussion with Kevin Strootman during the Anfield clash
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp celebrates after Salah continued his fine scoring form at Anfield
Roberto Firmino salutes the Kop after netting one of his two goals during the semi-final clash
By half-time, Roma knew all about that. In the early exchanges, their key players Kevin Strootman and Daniele de Rossi were finding space and angles to bring the Roma wing-backs in to the game. But soon they discovered the very real dangers of playing such a high line against a team of sprinters like this one. Over time, it undid them wholly.
Sensing Mo Salah or Sadio Mane on your shoulder must feel like settling in the blocks next to Usain Bolt. If your opponent gets it right then there is absolutely nothing you can do about. All Liverpool needed was to hustle Roma our of possession in midfield and suddenly a foot race was on. Every single time.
Quickly – very quickly indeed – Roma’s composure and their semblance of control was replaced by complete disorientation. Their plan feel apart before their very eyes and on the touchline their much talked about coach was unable to do anything about it.
Suddenly, Liverpool were not just making chances but being presented with them as well. When Dejan Lovren headed a free header against the bar from a corner with the score at 1-0, it was a sign of a plan unravelling.
There was a sense of perfection about both of Liverpool’s first half goals.
His Roma counterpart looks dejected as the Reds took control of the tie following the first leg
The Egyptian striker is mobbed by his team-mates during the semi-final clash on Tuesday night
Salah’s first had to be perfect to beat Alisson Becker and find the net off the underside of the bar. Then Roberto Firmino had to find the perfect pass in to space ahead of a perfect Salah run before a perfect finish was once again applied.
As is often the case, the correct boxed were ticked and a tight European had game suddenly sat squarely in the home team’s lap after 45 minutes.
Good coaches react when things go wrong. That takes courage, too, and again Dr Francesco was not found wanting as Patrik Schick was sent on to form a partnership up front with Edin Dzeko.
The message from the Roma bench was clear. If this night was to not to leave them with too much to do in Italy next week, they simply had to leave here with an away goal. Once again there was risk attached to the move but this time there had to be. A 2-0 scoreline represented a bad one for Roma whereas something like 3-1, for example, would have been ever so slightly less so.
Edin Dzeko scored an away goal for the visitors as Roma rallied late on at Anfield
Diego Perotti scored a second from the spot after James Milner was penalised for handball
In the centre of the field, mind you, Roma were by now understanding just what it mean to be crushed in the Liverpool juicer.
In the 53rd minute, Kostas Manolas tried to turn his way out of trouble and suddenly found himself faced by three red shirts. It was like facing down three guard dogs and this time only an offside flag saved the Italians as the centre half was left on the seat of his pants.
Liverpool had sensed they could do this. They knew that Roma’s record away from home in the competition was not one befitting a semi-final team. The third Liverpool goal – created by Salah for Sadio Mane – was the 15th Roma had conceded away from the Stadio Olimpico in Europe this season.
By the time Firmino headed in number 17 with 20 minutes left, Rome’s plans for the final in Kiev were in the same dustbin as Di Francesco’s coaching notes. Only a repeat of their remarkable second leg defeat of Barcelona in the last eight can save them now.