Sparta Prague 1, Liverpool 5 - Match Recap: Reds Score All Six In Win
A look back at the key moments in Liverpool’s pretty enjoyable win over Sparta Prague in Europa League action.
Sparta Prague 1 - 5 Liverpool
Sparta: Bradley 46’ (OG)
Liverpool: MacAllister 7’ (pen), Nunez 25’, Player 45+3’, Diaz 53’, Szoboszlai
Pre-Match
Liverpool send out a surprisingly strong lineup, especially in light of the potential title-decider against Manchester City on the weekend. The attacking trio of Nunez, Diaz, and Gakpo start up top, with MacAllister, Endo, and Elliott in midfield, and a back four of Gomez, Quansah, Konate, and Robertson. Looks like Kloppo would prefer to rest legs, if possible, in the second leg.
First Half
Nunez misses an early opportunity, though it looks like it might’ve been chalked off due to being offside. However, just a moment later Alexis MacAllister wins a penalty, takes it, and coolly sends the keeper the wrong way to up the scoring.
Sparta nearly peg Liverpool back with their first real attack of the night, but Kelleher comes up massive with a big save, and then Gomez clears the rebound off the line. There was a defensive lapse leading up to the shot, but phenomenal work to keep it out. Sparta have their tails up following the opener, and Kelleher has had to come up big a few too many times already.
And Liverpool...score against the run of play? Darwin comes up with the biggest “fuck you, watch this” goal I’ve seen in a while. He just let rip from about 30 yards out, and the keeper was left flapping like Jordan Pickford’s worst nightmares.
Sparta will definitely be disappointed that they didn’t score this half. They just missed a sitter, effectively tripping over a rebound and sending it wide, when almost any touch should’ve resulted in a goal.
And Darwin gets a third with yet another absurd finish. This time he hits it on the half volley, and it’s an unstoppable bullet into the far corner. If Darwin has learned how to finish in time for the end of the season, we could be in for A LOT of fun.
Despite the score line, the Reds have had a pretty sloppy first half, and this match could easily be 2-2. Hopefully a defensive adjustment or two helps the lads keep their sizeable advantage to take back to Anfield.
Second Half
Bradley comes on for Joe Gomez at the half, and immediately turns a ball into his own net. The way Kelleher is playing tonight, it was going to take something special to beat him, and that was a top shelf own goal. And immediately thereafter Konate comes off with an injury. Great. While play is stopped for injuries, Darwin also comes off for Dominik Szoboszlai.
Because this game is drunk, Luis Diaz makes it 4 goals for our 3 South Americans, with a lovely nutmeg goal after Elliott picks him out in the middle of the box.
With a little over an hour gone, Klopp brings MacAllister off, and Bobby Clark on. And a few minutes later, Klopp uses his final sub, bringing on Mo Salah for Diaz. Bringing on Mo when up 4-1 might actual constitute a war crime.
And Szoboszlai makes it 5 with the last kick of the game.
Final Thoughts
That was very comfortable in the end. Weep for those of us who paid good money to see the second leg at Anfield.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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