PARIS: Liverpool fell behind for the fourth time in five matches this season but fought back to beat LASK 3-1 in Linz in the Europa League on Thursday.
Elsewhere in the early matches in the first round of the group stage of the second-tier European competition, Romelu Lukaku earned last year’s beaten finalists Roma a 2-1 victory at Sheriff.
Bayer Leverkusen crushed Swedes Hacken 4-0, Rennes cruised past Maccabi Haifa 3-0 in France, Spaniards Villarreal lost 2-0 to Panathinakos in Greece.
Liverpool, playing in the Europa League for the first time since finishing runners up in 2016, changed their entire starting 11 away to LASK and quickly fell behind.
In the 14th minute, Sascha Horvath lobbed a corner to Florian Flecker just outside the Liverpool box. The Austrian midfielder controlled the dropping ball before smashing a rocket shot past Caoimhin Kelleher in the Liverpool goal.
Darwin Nunez levelled with a 55th-minute penalty kick after Luis Diaz was brought down.
After 61 minutes, Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp started to replace teenagers with regular starters.
Within two minutes they were ahead when Ryan Gravenberch burst down the right and crossed low for Diaz to score from close range.
Two minutes from the end Mohamed Salah, a second-half replacement, poked home a third.
In Moldova, Leandro Paredes scored four minutes into first-half injury time to give Roma the lead away to Sheriff.
Colombian Cristian Tovar levelled but Romelu Lukaku gave Jose Mourinho’s team a narrow victory.
In the Conference League, Aston Villa, returning to European competition after a 12-year gap, fell behind in the third minute to Legia Warsaw and despite equalising twice lost 3-2.
Pawel Wszolek met a cross from the left with a sliding volley to put Legia ahead.
Jhon Duran levelled after six minutes heading in a rebound after a Nicolo Zaniolo shot.
But the Poles regained the lead after 25 minutes when Wszolek crossed from the right and Ernest Muci scored on the half volley.
Lucas Digne levelled with a deflected shot from the edge of the box after 38 minutes but Muci settled the game with a low shot after 51 minutes.
Croatians Zrinjski Mostar came from three goals down to beat visiting AZ Alkmaar 4-3.
Myron Van Brederode, Sven Mijnans and Dani de Wit put the Dutch side three goals up by half-time.
Zvonimir Kozulj started the comeback after 48 minutes and ended it in the 81st minute, sandwiching goals from Josip Corluka and Aldin Hrvanovic.
Liverpool fight back again to edge LASK on Europa League return
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Liverpool fight back again to edge LASK on Europa League return
- Romelu Lukaku earned last year’s beaten finalists Roma a 2-1 victory at Sheriff
- Bayer Leverkusen crushed Swedes Hacken 4-0, Rennes cruised past Maccabi Haifa 3-0 in France, Spaniards Villarreal lost 2-0 to Panathinakos in Greece
Tottenham names Igor Tudor interim manager till end of season
- The former Juventus coach takes over till the end of the season
- Tottenham’s next fixture is at home to local rival Arsenal on Feb. 22
LONDON: Tottenham appointed Igor Tudor as interim manager on Saturday after Thomas Frank was fired three days ago.
The former Juventus coach takes over till the end of the season at a time when Spurs are just five points above the relegation zone in the Premier League.
“It is an honor to join this club at an important moment,” Tudor said. “I understand the responsibility I have been handed and my focus is clear. To bring greater consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match.
“There is strong quality in this playing squad and my job is to organize it, energize it and improve our results quickly.”
Juventus fired Tudor on Oct. 27 following three straight losses and an eight-match winless run, with the Italian powerhouse eighth in Serie A.
The 47-year-old Croatian was previously in charge of Lazio, Udinese, Marseille, Galatasaray and other clubs in Croatia and elsewhere.
Tudor is the sixth head coach in less than seven years at Spurs since Mauricio Pochettino departed in 2019.
Frank was fired after he failed to build on his success at Brentford.
Despite leading Spurs to the round of 16 in the Champions League, Frank has overseen a desperate domestic campaign. A 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Tuesday was greeted by boos from the home fans and left the club without a league win in 2026.
The home defeat to Newcastle extended a woeful run to one win in 11 in England’s top flight.
Spurs dropped to 16th in the standings, two places above the relegation zone.
Frank was appointed at the end of last season when Ange Postecoglou was fired despite leading Tottenham to its first trophy in 17 years by winning the Europa League and securing Champions League qualification.
Tottenham’s next fixture is at home to local rival Arsenal in the Premier League on Feb. 22.
