According to the Reuters , OkCupid will join many major online dating platforms such as Tinder, Match and Bumble to participate in the US government’s vaccination incentive program. This is the latest effort by the Biden administration to attract young people to get the Covid-19 vaccine, thereby achieving at least one shot of the vaccine for 70% of Americans by July 4. A user opens the Tinder dating app. Photo: Reuters. “(People who have been vaccinated) will have their own certification badge, have a filter to find people who have been vaccinated, and can use many exclusive functions for free,” Mr. Slavitt said. Shar Dubey, CEO of Match Group, which owns dating apps like Tinder and OkCupid, said she feels “honored to work with the White House to increase vaccination rates across America”. “(Immunization) will help people meet face-to-face and interact in meaningful ways. It also makes dating safer for everyone and anywhere,” added Ms. Dubey. Last week, the White House also teamed up with two ride-hailing apps, Lyft and Uber, to provide free rides to people getting vaccinated against Covid-19. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the US currently has more than 33 million cases and nearly 590,000 deaths from Covid-19. The country has fully vaccinated nearly 39% of the population, or about 128 million people.

Chelsea advanced to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in seven years, despite a 1–0 defeat in the second leg. Surprisingly, in Tuesday night’s game, Thomas Tuchel’s side failed to score and Porto did just that. In theory, the Blues’ expected goal tcoring (xG) is 1.1 and Porto’s is 0.6.

The same happened during PSG’s match against Bayern at the Parc des Princes. The home side played better, creating an expected 2.1 goals that did not once put the ball into the net, eventually receiving a 1–0 defeat to Bayern with only 1.3 goalscoring ability.

Fortunately for PSG, they have built a very good foundation from the first leg with a capital of three away goals. It was also a strange result, because in reality, Bayern were the better team that day. Hansi Flick’s pupils made 31 tackles and an expected goal t3.6, while PSG were much lower, just 1.3.

Bayern were eliminated after making 45 shots in two legs against PSG

These figures show that the Champions League is really attractive, fierce and extremely unpredictable. The team that played better, created more chances is unlikely to have won, and the winner is unlikely to be the team to go on. The result depends on quite a few factors and luck is an important factor. But above all, don’t lose in the first leg.

This seems bad news for Liverpool and Dortmund, who are plotting a comeback. Especially when they played very disappointingly in the first leg. Liverpool had an expected 0.83 goals in a 1–3 defeat to Real, while Dortmund were 0.97 in a 1–2 loss to Man City. According to analysis from the Euro Club Index, the yellow-and-black team has only a 13% chance of going on. Liverpool are slightly higher at 15%.

History of course doesn’t stand for under-weakers. In 13 defeats in the first leg of the knock-out rounds in European competition, Liverpool were eliminated up to 11 times. Similarly to Dortmund, they were eliminated from the Champions League 6/7 times in the first leg.

According to analysis from the Euro Club Index, Liverpool have a 15% chance of going on

Sometimes the feat occurs, as in the 2018/19 season Liverpool won 4–0 against Barca to reverse the previous 0–3 loss. But you know, if it happened often people didn’t call it a feat.

Not everything against Dortmund and Liverpool, though. Unlike Bayern and Porto, they played the second leg at home, and at home indeed, Signal Iduna Park with Anfield, rather than on the ground.

In addition, the task of both is also simpler with 1 goal achieved away. This is a huge advantage. Of those who won 2–1 in the first leg of the Champions League at home, the number of teams eliminated (15) was more than the next (12). And Real, who have played in the European Cup 10 times, led 3-1 at home, but were eliminated four times.

Liverpool on a legendary night out against Barca in 2019

So anything can happen. But quite certainly, Liverpool and Dortmund were forced to be better than themselves a week ago. They don’t need to create a lot of chances often, but when it comes, even with a very small table-to-table ability, they have to immediately turn them into goals.

Finally, you know, Champions League success has to do with luck. Liverpool, like Dortmund, should hope it is on their side so that everything they do is correct. As in 2019 at Anfield, Georginio Wijnaldum coming on as a substitute for Andrew Robertson was perhaps the best decision Juergen Klopp had ever made, with Divock Origi suddenly making a hero and telling him from God that Alexander-Arnold launched an unprecedentedly daring corner kick.

A crazy result can only be made up of moments of madness, and every number is always for reference only.