Leverkusen’s Thrilling Comeback and Liverpool’s Dominance: Europa League Roundup

Amidst a thrilling encounter, Patrik Schick managed to salvage a draw for Bayer Leverkusen with a last-minute goal, overturning a two-goal deficit against Qarabag in the Europa League clash on Thursday.

This resilient performance extended Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak for the season to an impressive 35 matches. Meanwhile, Liverpool asserted their dominance with a resounding 5-1 victory over Sparta Prague.

Leverkusen’s Resilience

Early Struggles

The scoring was initiated by Yassine Benzia for Qarabag in the 26th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Jonathan Tah. Shortly before halftime, Juninho capitalized on another Leverkusen mistake to double the lead by skillfully evading goalkeeper Matej Kovar.

Turning the Tide

Despite their initial struggles, Xabi Alonso’s side found their footing with the introduction of Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka. Wirtz breathed life into Leverkusen’s challenge with a well-taken goal in the 70th minute, exploiting a defensive blunder.

Schick’s Heroics

Schick then sealed the comeback with a decisive header in injury time, connecting flawlessly with Robert Andrich’s precise cross.

Liverpool’s Dominance

Liverpool enjoyed a comfortable outing in Prague, securing a convincing victory ahead of their crucial league fixture against Manchester City.

Commanding Performance

Darwin Nunez spearheaded the attack with a first-half brace, complemented by an early penalty converted by Alexis Mac Allister. Luiz Diaz extended the lead with a deflected effort in the second half, following a fortuitous own goal by Conor Bradley.

Salah’s Cameo

Mohamed Salah made a cameo appearance in the 73rd minute, providing a glimpse of his brilliance before the impending clash with Manchester City. Although his goal was disallowed for offside, Dominik Szoboszlai ensured Liverpool’s triumph with a composed finish in stoppage time.

Other Results

However, Brighton & Hove Albion endured a disappointing outing, suffering a comprehensive 4-0 defeat against last year’s finalists Roma, courtesy of goals from Paulo Dybala, Romelu Lukaku, Gianluca Mancini, and Bryan Cristante.

In another fixture, Sporting Lisbon and Atalanta battled to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday, while the remaining first-leg encounters were scheduled for later on Thursday.