2023-09-21 18:50:19
LASK challenged Liverpool FC in the “Game of the Year” but was not rewarded for a courageous performance. On Thursday at the start of the Europa League, the Linz team lost 3-1 to the 19-time English champions after leading 1-0 at the break. Darwin Nunez with a penalty (56′), Luis Diaz (63′) and Mohamed Salah (88′) turned the game around after Florian Flecker had given the underdog the lead in front of over 17,000 spectators in the full stadium on the Gugl (14′).
Liverpool’s star coach Jürgen Klopp completely changed his team compared to Saturday’s championship win against Wolverhampton and brought in eleven new players. Brazil’s team goalkeeper Alisson, Argentine world champion Alex Mac Allister, Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Andrew Robertson initially only sat on the substitutes’ bench.
“We want fresh legs. We don’t have a first eleven,” said Klopp, explaining his line-up, which still includes top players such as defensive star Virgil van Dijk, the Dutch team player Ryan Gravenberch, who was signed for around 40 million euros, France’s team defender Ibrahima Konate and Uruguay’s team striker Nunez stood. 17-year-old Scottish striker talent Ben Doak made his starting eleven debut.
The Linzers had decided to go into the game of the year with courage and carried it out with energetic duels. And even took the lead. Van Dijk was able to deflect a shot from Robert Zulj, and Sascha Horvath ideally delivered the resulting corner to Flecker, who shot from outside the penalty area and hit it perfectly into the far corner.
Liverpool, in an unusual purple, dominated the game, but LASK knew how to keep the ball-savvy English team away from the danger zone. It only became really dangerous once in the first half, but goalkeeper Tobias Lawal reacted brilliantly to a header from Nunez from very close range (36th). Shortly beforehand, Marin Ljubicic even had the chance to make it 2-0 on a counterattack, but he hesitated for too long (29th).
Klopp didn’t react in terms of personnel at the break, but Liverpool also increased the pressure with the “B-Elf” and at times restricted the home team in the penalty area. The equalizer was also achieved with a hard penalty. Wataru Endo missed a shot, but Philipp Ziereis then hit the Japanese player in the leg. After a VAR check, Italian referee Marco di Bello awarded a penalty, which Nunez converted.
Thomas Sageder’s team then became more proactive again and had a good chance through Ljubicic, who was, however, offside. With a quick counter-attack, the guests made the preliminary decision through Luiz Diaz after a cross from Gravenberch. At this point Mac Allister and Szoboszlai were already on the pitch. Salah was also substituted on in the final quarter of an hour and secured the final score at the end.
Liverpool deservedly got three points thanks to a clear improvement in the second half, but LASK could be satisfied with their performance against the top English club. After the duel with the big favorites in Group E, Linz continues on October 5th at FC Toulouse.
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