Liverpool have a game in hand for the Europa League round of 16 after an emphatic 4-0 home win over Austria’s LASK in Group E on Thursday.
The Premier League side climbed to 12 points and will be top of the table after second-placed Toulouse drew at home to Union Saint Gilloise.
Luis Diaz gave Liverpool the lead after 12 minutes with a header from Joe Gomez’s cross and a touch from Cody Gapko doubled the lead 3 minutes later.
Mohamed Salah’s penalty made it 3-0 early in the second set and Gapko added his stoppage-time moment to complete the rout.
Thus, the Reds will avoid the round of 16 where the second-placed teams will have to face abandonment from the Champions League. Instead, they can rotate for Union SG next month and worry about the rest of the festival when the 16th circular goes into effect in March.
45 mins: The second half is already underway.
As things stand, Liverpool are the winners of the group.
Toulouse has recently drawn 0-0 with Union SG.
Diaz and Gakpo gave the Reds an early lead, but they have since squandered several chances.
LASK disorders still lacked quality in the last third.
40 minutes: Gómez takes the ball to the center of the field and fires a deflected shot.
32 mins: Tskimikas hits the crossbar with a brilliant effort right in the box, just to the left.
It would have been a strike. . .
18 mins: LASK lags behind, but Liverpool seem to need to score on every attack.
Despite the initial advantage, this adjustment slowed.
15 mins: GOAL!
Gakpo took advantage of a Salah cross after a great interaction between Díaz and the Dutchman in the build-up.
11 mins: GOAL!
Luis Diaz headed the house to de Gomez. Fox in the box.
10 mins: Gakpo chases down a great little ball from Elliott, fails to get his foot around the ball and cuts out a deflected shot.
09 mins: Liverpool see the maximum of the ball, but LASK have no goodies in the future.
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