Liverpool delivered a dominant performance in Prague as Darwin Nunez scored twice to propel his team to a resounding 5-1 victory over Sparta, edging closer to the Europa League quarterfinals on Thursday.
Nunez showcased his attacking prowess early in the match, with his right-footed shot from 25 meters doubling Liverpool’s lead after Alexis Mac Allister’s penalty in the first leg of the round of 16. The Uruguayan’s brace marked the 1,000th goal scored under manager Jurgen Klopp, setting a significant milestone for the club.
In first-half stoppage time, Nunez capitalized on a pass from Mac Allister to fire a precise shot inside the far post, securing his second goal of the evening and extending Liverpool’s lead.
Despite Sparta pulling one back through Conor Bradley’s own goal early in the second half, Luis Diaz restored Liverpool’s three-goal advantage seven minutes later. Dominik Szoboszlai added a late goal in stoppage time to seal the commanding victory for the Reds.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expressed satisfaction with both the result and the performance, emphasizing the quality of his team’s goals.
The match also marked Mohamed Salah’s return from injury as a substitute in the 74th minute, providing a positive sign for Liverpool ahead of their upcoming clash against Manchester City.
In other Europa League fixtures, Bundesliga leader Bayer Leverkusen salvaged a 2-2 draw against Qarabag with a stoppage-time equalizer from substitute Patrik Schick, extending their unbeaten run to 35 games across all competitions this season.
Roma continued their resurgence under coach Daniele De Rossi with a commanding 4-0 victory over Brighton, maintaining their impressive form with eight wins in 10 matches across all competitions.
Marseille secured a convincing 4-0 win against Villarreal, while AC Milan emerged victorious with a 4-2 win over 10-man Slavia Prague, thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud, Tijjani Reijnders, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Christian Pulisic.
Freiburg clinched a late 1-0 home victory over West Ham, while an own goal from Rangers’ defender Connor Goldson salvaged a 2-2 draw for Benfica in Lisbon.
Liverpool’s commanding performance sets the stage for an enthralling second leg at Anfield, as they aim to secure their spot in the Europa League quarterfinals.