Liverpool secured a narrow 2-1 win over Sparta Prague in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday. The Reds took the lead through a stunning strike from Dominik Szoboszlai, who marked his first start for the club with a goal. Sparta equalized in the second half through Lukas Haraslin, who pounced on a defensive error from Virgil van Dijk. However, Liverpool restored their advantage late on when Mohamed Salah, who returned from injury as a substitute, scored with a clinical finish.
Szoboszlai shines on debut
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp handed a surprise start to Szoboszlai, who joined the club in January from RB Salzburg. The Hungarian midfielder had only made one brief appearance for the Reds before, but he showed his quality and potential with a superb performance. He opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a long-range shot that swerved past the Sparta goalkeeper. He also created several chances for his teammates with his passing and movement. He was replaced by Salah in the 67th minute, having impressed the fans and pundits alike.
Sparta fight back in second half
Sparta Prague did not give up after conceding the first goal and put up a spirited display in the second half. They pressed Liverpool high up the pitch and forced them into mistakes. They got their reward in the 58th minute when Haraslin capitalized on a miscommunication between Van Dijk and Alisson Becker. The Slovakian forward intercepted a back pass from the Dutch defender and rounded the Brazilian keeper to slot the ball into an empty net. It was his seventh goal in the Europa League this season, making him the joint-top scorer in the competition.
Salah makes the difference off the bench
Liverpool were in danger of losing their lead in the tie after Sparta’s equalizer, but they had a trump card in Salah. The Egyptian star had missed the last four games with a hamstring injury, but he was fit enough to make the bench. He came on for Szoboszlai and made an immediate impact. He scored the winner in the 83rd minute with a composed finish from a tight angle. He received a pass from Sadio Mane and beat two defenders before firing the ball past the Sparta keeper. It was his 20th goal of the season in all competitions, and his first in the Europa League.
Liverpool take slender advantage to Anfield
Liverpool will be relieved to have won the first leg, but they will know that the tie is far from over. Sparta Prague showed that they are a dangerous and resilient side, and they will fancy their chances of scoring at Anfield. Liverpool will have to improve their defensive performance and avoid any complacency in the second leg. They will also have to cope with a busy schedule, as they face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, before hosting Sparta on Thursday. Klopp will hope that Salah’s return will boost his team’s confidence and firepower, as they aim to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League.