Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League first leg quarter-final football match between Real Madrid and Liverpool at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Valdebebas in the outskirts of Madrid on April 6, 2021. (PHOTO /AFP)

MADRID - Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. scored twice as they punished a sloppy Liverpool side to win 3-1 at home in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg.

The 20-year-old Brazilian fired the 13-times European champions into the lead in the 27th minute at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium after controlling a long diagonal pass from Toni Kroos from his own half which flummoxed the Liverpool defence.

Vinicius Junior fired the 13-times European champions into the lead in the 27th minute at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium after controlling a long diagonal pass from Toni Kroos from his own half which flummoxed the Liverpool defence

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Marco Asensio put the hosts further at ease by scoring in the 35th after a Kroos pass again caused havoc among the visiting backline but Liverpool looked more settled after the interval and a scrappy Mohamed Salah strike pulled them back into contention early in the second half.

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But they failed to build on their momentum and Vinicius struck again in the 63rd minute to repeat the scoreline of the 2018 Champions League final and put Zinedine Zidane’s side in pole position for next week’s second leg at Anfield.