Liverpool thrashed Sparta Prague at Anfield to complete a resounding aggregate victory as they moved in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Already 5-1 ahead after a dominant first-leg showing in the Czech Republic, Darwin Nunez’s opener was the first of four goals in seven first-half minutes as the Reds overwhelmed their opponents.
And by full-time the hosts had run up their biggest aggregate win in a European competition since the 11-2 success over Finnish side Oulun Palloseura in the first round of the European Cup 1980-81.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s precise cut-back allowed Uruguay forward Nunez to start the rout, as he registered his ninth goal in 11 games, by guiding a low effort into the bottom right corner.
Bobby Clark, the son of former Newcastle midfielder Lee, capped a fine first European start with his first senior goal just 68 seconds later, with the teenager rolling the ball past visiting goalkeeper Peter Vindahl as Sparta gifted Liverpool possession on the edge of their own box
An almost identical error from the visitors allowed Mohamed Salah to stroke in a third for Jurgen Klopp’s side and the Egyptian then turned provider with a near-post cross for Cody Gakpo to add a fourth.
Sparta did briefly stem the tide and Veljko Birmancevic outpaced Wataru Endo to steer the ball past home goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher shortly before the break.
It provided a fleeting moment of joyous celebration for the visiting supporters on an otherwise dismal evening for the Czech champions on Merseyside.
With an FA Cup quarter-final at rivals Manchester United on the horizon on Sunday, Klopp withdrew Joe Gomez, Endo and Nunez at the interval but the hosts showed no signs of relenting.
Szoboszlai’s deflected effort shortly after the break put the home side into double figures across the two legs and Gakpo’s improvised flick from substitute Harvey Elliott’s curling shot rounded off matters.
Player of the match
van DijkVirgil van Dijk
Sparta Prague
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Squad number26Player nameVydra
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Squad number27Player namePanák
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Squad number14Player nameBirmancevic
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Squad number2Player namePreciado
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Squad number18Player nameSadílek
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Squad number11Player nameTuci
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Squad number1Player nameVindahl
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Squad number22Player nameHaraslín
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Squad number9Player nameKuchta
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Squad number20Player nameLaçi
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Squad number41Player nameVitík
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Squad number4Player nameSolbakken
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Squad number6Player nameKairinen
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Squad number30Player nameZeleny
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Squad number32Player nameRynes
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Squad number37Player nameKrejcí
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 62Kelleher
- 84Bradley
- 78QuansahBooked at 65minsSubstituted forvan Dijkat 66′minutes
- 2GomezSubstituted forTsimikasat 45′minutes
- 26Robertson
- 8Szoboszlai
- 3EndoSubstituted forMcConnellat 45′minutes
- 42ClarkSubstituted forMusialowskiat 73′minutes
- 11Salah
- 9NúñezSubstituted forElliottat 45′minutes
- 18Gakpo
Substitutes
- 4van Dijk
- 7Díaz
- 10Mac Allister
- 13Adrián
- 19Elliott
- 21Tsimikas
- 49Gordon
- 53McConnell
- 67Koumas
- 76Danns
- 92Musialowski
- 93Mrozek
Sparta Prague
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Vindahl
- 2Preciado
- 41Vitík
- 30Zeleny
- 37Krejcí
- 32RynesSubstituted forPanákat 45′minutes
- 4SolbakkenSubstituted forVydraat 75′minutes
- 6Kairinen
- 20LaçiSubstituted forSadílekat 58′minutes
- 14BirmancevicSubstituted forTuciat 66′minutes
- 9KuchtaSubstituted forHaraslínat 58′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Olatunji
- 10Karabec
- 11Tuci
- 18Sadílek
- 19Mejdr
- 22Haraslín
- 24Vorel
- 26Vydra
- 27Panák
- 28Wiesner
- 29Sevcík
- 44Surovcík
- Referee:
- Artur Manuel Soares Dias
Live Text
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Match ends, Liverpool 6, Sparta Prague 1.
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Second Half ends, Liverpool 6, Sparta Prague 1.
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Attempt blocked. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt saved. Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Dominik Szoboszlai.
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Offside, Liverpool. Cody Gakpo is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Lukás Haraslín (Sparta Prague) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Filip Panák.
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Mateusz Musialowski (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Martin Vitík (Sparta Prague).
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Peter Vindahl.
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Attempt saved. Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mateusz Musialowski.
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Attempt missed. James McConnell (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Virgil van Dijk.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Peter Vindahl.
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Attempt saved. Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Harvey Elliott.
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Offside, Sparta Prague. Lukás Sadílek is caught offside.
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Substitution, Sparta Prague. Patrik Vydra replaces Markus Solbakken.
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Foul by James McConnell (Liverpool).
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Lukás Haraslín (Sparta Prague) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Mateusz Musialowski replaces Bobby Clark because of an injury.
Source Agencies
