Liverpool on course for the quarter-finals
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Jokers Florian Wirtz and Patrik Schick saved Bayer Leverkusen from their first defeat in the 35th competitive game of the season in the Baku cauldron. In the 2:2 (0:2) in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Europa League at Qarabağ FK in Azerbaijan, the national player and the Czech Republic saved the draw after by far the worst half of the season and thus a good starting position for the second leg on Thursday in Leverkusen .
Coach Xabi Alonso rested numerous stars after the long journey to the Caucasus in view of the strain in the coming weeks. Granit Xhaka, Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, among others, sat on the bench at the start. Qarabağ took advantage of this with Yassine Benzia (26th) and Juninho (45th + 2). Wirtz, who had been substituted twelve minutes earlier, shortened the score with Leverkusen’s 100th competitive goal of the season (70th) – and Schick (90th + 2) then equalized.
Longest undefeated streak since 2000: Leverkusen in 10th place
The hosts tried to surprise the Leverkusen team with a powerful and physical style of play. That was successful and the Werkself couldn’t get into the game for a long time. Alonso obviously didn’t like that. The Spaniard gesticulated unusually wildly on the sidelines.
But things didn’t get better. Quite the opposite. First Matej Kovar, who, as in every group game, represented captain Lukas Hradecky in goal, saved a shot from Juninho with one hand (24th), then Marko Jankovic hit the inside post (25th) and again a few seconds later it happened , when Benzia shot the ball under the crossbar from ten meters. With 6-0 shots on goal, the lead for Qarabağ was deserved and logical. And in stoppage time in the first half, Bayer was able to counterattack when Juninho ran past Jonathan Tah from the halfway line and played past Kovar.
Alonso brought on Frimpong at the break, and when things only improved to a limited extent, he also brought on Xhaka and Wirtz in the 58th minute. Now things got better and ex-Leverkusen player Andrey Lunev had to parry a dangerous shot against Edmond Tapsoba for the first time (62′). And when Wirtz intercepted a back pass from Abdellah Zoubir and lofted the ball over Lunev, Leverkusen was back in the game. Schick, who was also a substitute, ultimately ensured the draw.
Klopp and Liverpool FC on course for the Europa League quarter-finals
Jürgen Klopp has taken a big step towards the quarter-finals of the Europa League with Liverpool FC. In the first leg of the round of 16 at Sparta Prague, the English won 5-1 (3-0). Alexis Mac Allister (6th minute/foul penalty), Darwin Núñez (25th/45th+3), Luis Díaz (53rd) and ex-Leipzig player Dominik Szoboszlai (90th+4) scored the goals for Klopp’s team.
The hosts scored again with an own goal from Conor Bradley (46th). This puts Liverpool in an optimal starting position for the second leg next Thursday at Anfield Road.
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