Europa League

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Europa League | Group Stage

Sep 21, 2023 at 5.45pm UK

Raiffeisen Arena

LASK
1 - 3
Liverpool

Flecker (14')
Havel (41'), Zulj (44'), Ziereis (55')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Nunez (56' pen.), Diaz (63'), Salah (88')
Konate (40'), Bajcetic (43')

Liverpool come from behind again to see off LASK Linz

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 21 September 2023

Liverpool harness their comeback powers to open their Europa League campaign with a 3-1 victory over Austrian side LASK Linz at the Raiffeisen Arena in Group E.

Liverpool harnessed their comeback powers once again to open their Europa League campaign with a 3-1 victory over Austrian side LASK Linz at the Raiffeisen Arena in Group E.

A thunderous effort from Florian Flecker propelled Thomas Sageder's men into a first-half lead against Jurgen Klopp's second-string side, but the LASK joy was short-lived, as Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah completed a familiar second-half turnaround for the Reds, who remain unbeaten this season and have now won five games on the trot.

Following a warning to players that "opportunities" would not be given out at will in the Europa League, Klopp made a full complement of changes to his starting XI, including full debuts for Ben Doak and Ryan Gravenberch.

However, the second-string Reds were subjected to immediate pressure from the Austrian side, who took a shock lead in the 14th minute thanks to a well-worked corner routine.

Rather than whip the ball into the crowded penalty area, Sascha Horvath picked out Flecker on the edge of the box, and the 27-year-old took one touch before unleashing a phenomenal 20-yard strike into the far corner.

LASK Linz's Florian Flecker scores their first goal past Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher on September 21, 2023 © Reuters

The physically imposing Nunez tried to use his aerial prowess to claw Liverpool back into the game, but the Uruguayan saw two headed chances go begging, the first of which saw him clear the crossbar from Harvey Elliott's delivery in the 19th minute.

A deep corner from Kostas Tsimikas in the 36th minute was then headed back across the six-yard box by Virgil van Dijk, which would seemingly give Nunez a simple finish from a yard out, but LASK goalkeeper Tobias Lawal produced a magnificent reaction save from the striker's header.

Klopp elected not to make any changes at the break, and keeping faith with Nunez in particular paid dividends, as the Uruguayan levelled from the penalty spot with 56 minutes gone after Diaz had been tripped by Philipp Ziereis.

Despite being pegged back in contentious circumstances, LASK did not let their heads drop and manufactured another brilliant chance from a corner in the 62nd minute - albeit in more unorthodox circumstances - as the ball fell for Marin Ljubicic after a lucky bounce through a sea of bodies, but his low shot was stopped by the outstretched leg of Caoimhin Kelleher.

Luis Diaz celebrates scoring for Liverpool on September 21, 2023 © Reuters

That wasted chance would prove costly for the Austrian troops, only one minute later, Elliott released Gravenberch down the right, and the Dutchman sent in a sumptuous low cross for Diaz to fire home into the roof of the net.

The South Americans were running the show at the Raiffeisen Arena, and Nunez went from goalscorer to provider to make sure of the result in the 88th minute, winning the ball back high up the field and slipping through Salah to poke home through Lawal's legs.

Assuming position at the summit of Group E, Liverpool have a two-week break in between continental matches before taking on Belgian outfit Union SG at Anfield.

Prior to matchweek two in the Europa League, Liverpool host West Ham United in Sunday's Premier League clash, while LASK will battle Hartberg in their next Austrian Bundesliga showdown before tackling French side Toulouse in their next Group E game.