Liverpool, West Ham score comeback wins in Europa League, Brighton loses in European debut
Liverpool, West Ham score comeback wins in Europa League, Brighton loses in European debut
Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez scores from the penalty spot during the Europa League group E soccer match between Linzer ASK and FC Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez scores from the penalty spot during the Europa League group E soccer match between Linzer ASK and FC Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez scores from the penalty spot during the Europa League group E soccer match between Linzer ASK and FC Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, left, celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the Europa League group E soccer match between Linzer ASK and FC Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, left, celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the Europa League group E soccer match between Linzer ASK and FC Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, left, and LASK’s Ebrima Darboe challenge for the ball during the Europa League group E soccer match between Linzer ASK and FC Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Background left Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, left, and LASK’s Ebrima Darboe challenge for the ball during the Europa League group E soccer match between Linzer ASK and FC Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Background left Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
LASK fans burn flares during the Europa League group E soccer match between Linzer ASK and FC Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
LASK fans burn flares during the Europa League group E soccer match between Linzer ASK and FC Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Roma’s Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the Europa League, group G soccer match between Sheriff Tiraspol and Roma at the Bolshaya Arena stadium, in Tiraspol, the capital of the breakaway region of Transnistria, a disputed territory unrecognized by the international community, in Moldova, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja)
Roma’s Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the Europa League, group G soccer match between Sheriff Tiraspol and Roma at the Bolshaya Arena stadium, in Tiraspol, the capital of the breakaway region of Transnistria, a disputed territory unrecognized by the international community, in Moldova, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja)
Roma’s Romelu Lukaku, right, scores his side’s second goal during the Europa League, group G soccer match between Sheriff Tiraspol and Roma at the Bolshaya Arena stadium, in Tiraspol, the capital of the breakaway region of Transnistria, a disputed territory unrecognized by the international community, in Moldova, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja)
Roma’s Romelu Lukaku, right, scores his side’s second goal during the Europa League, group G soccer match between Sheriff Tiraspol and Roma at the Bolshaya Arena stadium, in Tiraspol, the capital of the breakaway region of Transnistria, a disputed territory unrecognized by the international community, in Moldova, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja)
Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface scores his side’s third goal abasing Haecken’s goalkeeper Peter Abrahamsson during the UEFA Europa League Group H soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and BK Haecken at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface scores his side’s third goal abasing Haecken’s goalkeeper Peter Abrahamsson during the UEFA Europa League Group H soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and BK Haecken at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, right, scores the opening goal against Haecken’s goalkeeper Peter Abrahamsson during the UEFA Europa League Group H soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and BK Haecken at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, right, scores the opening goal against Haecken’s goalkeeper Peter Abrahamsson during the UEFA Europa League Group H soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and BK Haecken at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Toulouse’s Oliver Zanden, center, goes down as he fights for the ball with Union SG’s Fedde Leysen during the Europa League Group E soccer match between Union St. Gilloise and Toulouse at the Anderlecht stadium in Brussels, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Toulouse’s Oliver Zanden, center, goes down as he fights for the ball with Union SG’s Fedde Leysen during the Europa League Group E soccer match between Union St. Gilloise and Toulouse at the Anderlecht stadium in Brussels, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Union SG’s Mohamed Amoura, center, celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Europa League Group E soccer match between Union St. Gilloise and Toulouse at the Anderlecht stadium in Brussels, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Union SG’s Mohamed Amoura, center, celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Europa League Group E soccer match between Union St. Gilloise and Toulouse at the Anderlecht stadium in Brussels, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Slavia Prague’s Czech defender Igoh Ogbu, center, celebrates after scoring during the Europa League group G soccer match between Servette FC and SK Slavia Prague, at the Stade de Geneve stadium, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)
Slavia Prague’s Czech defender Igoh Ogbu, center, celebrates after scoring during the Europa League group G soccer match between Servette FC and SK Slavia Prague, at the Stade de Geneve stadium, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)
Slavia Prague’s Czech midfielder Luka Masopust celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the UEFA Europa League group G soccer match between Switzerland’s Servette FC and SK Slavia Prague, at the Stade de Geneve stadium, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (Valentin Flauraud/Keystone via AP)
Slavia Prague’s Czech midfielder Luka Masopust celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the UEFA Europa League group G soccer match between Switzerland’s Servette FC and SK Slavia Prague, at the Stade de Geneve stadium, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (Valentin Flauraud/Keystone via AP)
Rennes’ Bertug Yildirim, second from left, scores his side’s third goal during an Europa League group F soccer match between Rennes and Maccabi Haifa, at the Roazhon Park Stadium, in Rennes, France, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
Rennes’ Bertug Yildirim, second from left, scores his side’s third goal during an Europa League group F soccer match between Rennes and Maccabi Haifa, at the Roazhon Park Stadium, in Rennes, France, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
Legia’s Pawel Wszolek, center, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Europa Conference League group E soccer match between Legia and Aston Villa at the Legia Warsaw Municipal Stadium in Warsaw, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Legia’s Pawel Wszolek, center, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Europa Conference League group E soccer match between Legia and Aston Villa at the Legia Warsaw Municipal Stadium in Warsaw, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Aston Villa players celebrates with the fans after scoring their first goal during the Europa Conference League group E soccer match between Legia and Aston Villa at the Legia Warsaw Municipal Stadium in Warsaw, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Aston Villa players celebrates with the fans after scoring their first goal during the Europa Conference League group E soccer match between Legia and Aston Villa at the Legia Warsaw Municipal Stadium in Warsaw, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
The ball gets past Fiorentina’s goalkeeper Oliver Christensen, center, scored by Genk’s Andi Zeqiri during the Europa Conference League Group F soccer match between KRC Genk and AFC Fiorentina at the Genk Arena in Genk, Belgium, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Francois Walschaerts)
The ball gets past Fiorentina’s goalkeeper Oliver Christensen, center, scored by Genk’s Andi Zeqiri during the Europa Conference League Group F soccer match between KRC Genk and AFC Fiorentina at the Genk Arena in Genk, Belgium, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Francois Walschaerts)
Players celebrate after Genk’s Andi Zeqiri scored his sides first goal during the Europa Conference League Group F soccer match between KRC Genk and AFC Fiorentina at the Genk Arena in Genk, Belgium, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Francois Walschaerts)
Players celebrate after Genk’s Andi Zeqiri scored his sides first goal during the Europa Conference League Group F soccer match between KRC Genk and AFC Fiorentina at the Genk Arena in Genk, Belgium, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Francois Walschaerts)
Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush, up, and Aberdeen’s Graeme Shinnie challenge for the ball during a Conference League Group G match between Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Aberdeen in Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush, up, and Aberdeen’s Graeme Shinnie challenge for the ball during a Conference League Group G match between Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Aberdeen in Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Frankfurt’s Robin Koch, centre, celebrates his side’s second goal during a Conference League Group G match between Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Aberdeen in Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Frankfurt’s Robin Koch, centre, celebrates his side’s second goal during a Conference League Group G match between Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Aberdeen in Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
West Ham United’s Tomas Soucek scores their side’s third goal of the game during the UEFA Europa League Group A match at the London Stadium, London, Thursday Sept. 21, 2023. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)
West Ham United’s Tomas Soucek scores their side’s third goal of the game during the UEFA Europa League Group A match at the London Stadium, London, Thursday Sept. 21, 2023. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)
TSC’s team celebrates after scored his side first goal during the UEFA Europa League group A soccer match between West Ham United and FK TSC Backa Topola at London stadium in London, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
TSC’s team celebrates after scored his side first goal during the UEFA Europa League group A soccer match between West Ham United and FK TSC Backa Topola at London stadium in London, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
AEK Athens’ Djibril Sidibe, not pictured, beats Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Jason Steele to score the opening goal during the UEFA Europa League Group B match at The AMEX, Brighton and Hove, England, Thursday Sept. 21, 2023. (Steven Paston//PA via AP)
AEK Athens’ Djibril Sidibe, not pictured, beats Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Jason Steele to score the opening goal during the UEFA Europa League Group B match at The AMEX, Brighton and Hove, England, Thursday Sept. 21, 2023. (Steven Paston//PA via AP)
Brighton and Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro scores their side’s first goal of the game during the UEFA Europa League Group B match at The AMEX, Brighton and Hove, England, Thursday Sept. 21, 2023. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)
Brighton and Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro scores their side’s first goal of the game during the UEFA Europa League Group B match at The AMEX, Brighton and Hove, England, Thursday Sept. 21, 2023. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)
Marseille’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, bottom, celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the Europa League group B soccer match between Ajax and Marseille at the Johan Cruyff ArenA stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Marseille’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, bottom, celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the Europa League group B soccer match between Ajax and Marseille at the Johan Cruyff ArenA stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Ajax’s Kenneth Taylor, right, scores his side’s third goal during the Europa League group B soccer match between Ajax and Marseille at the Johan Cruyff ArenA stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Ajax’s Kenneth Taylor, right, scores his side’s third goal during the Europa League group B soccer match between Ajax and Marseille at the Johan Cruyff ArenA stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Olympiacos’ Ayoub El Kaabi, center jumps for a header during Group A Europa League soccer match between Olympiakos and SC Freiburg at Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Olympiacos’ Ayoub El Kaabi, center jumps for a header during Group A Europa League soccer match between Olympiakos and SC Freiburg at Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Freiburg players wave to their team fans after the end of a Group A Europa League soccer match between Olympiakos and SC Freiburg at Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Freiburg won 3-2.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Freiburg players wave to their team fans after the end of a Group A Europa League soccer match between Olympiakos and SC Freiburg at Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Freiburg won 3-2.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Liverpool marked its return to the Europa League on Thursday with another come-from-behind 3-1 victory, this time over Austrian club LASK in Linz.
Luis Díaz had a clinical finish into the roof of the net in the 63rd minute to put the visitors ahead after receiving a low cross from midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who was given his first start for the Reds since his summer transfer from Bayern Munich.
Mohamed Salah came off the bench and completed the second-half comeback with a goal in the 88th minute.
Florian Flecker beat backup goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher off a corner kick in the 14th minute for the opener against Liverpool, a three-time winner of the second-tier European competition.
The visitors equalized when Darwin Núñez scored on a penalty kick 11 minutes into the second half after Philipp Ziereis fouled Díaz.
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp made 11 changes in his starting lineup from the 3-1 comeback victory over Wolverhampton on Saturday in the English Premier League.
It was a return to the second-tier competition for the Reds for the first time since losing 3-1 to Sevilla in the 2016 final in Basel in Klopp’s first season at Anfield.
In another Group E game, Union Saint-Gilloise and Toulouse drew 1-1.
Europe Conference League champion West Ham also had to come a goal down to defeat newcomer TSC Bačka Topola from Serbia 3-1 at London Stadium in Group A.
An own goal from Nemanja Petrović started West Ham’s comeback in the 66th. Summer signing Mohammed Kudus headed home the second four minutes later in his first start for the Hammers with substitute Tomáš Souček heading in the third to finish it off.
Petar Stanić had beaten goalkeeper Łukasz Marek Fabiański one-on-one three minutes after halftime for the Serbian team.
Brighton’s debut in a European competition suffered a blow in a 3-2 loss at home to AEK Athens in Group B.
Substitute Ezequiel Ponce netted the winner six minutes from time to put the Greek team ahead for the third time.
Forward João Pedro converted from the spot in each half for Brighton, which is playing in Europe for the first time in the club’s 122-year history after finishing a club-best sixth in the English Premier League last season.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his second goal in the 78th to salvage a 3-3 draw for Marseille at Ajax as the two former Champions League winners met in another game in one of the toughest groups.
Marseille was without coach Marcelino, who stepped down Wednesday after only a handful of games in charge.
Romelu Lukaku scored the second-half winner for last year’s runner up Roma in Group G in a 2-1 victory over Sheriff in Tiraspol. It was Lukaku’s second goal since joining from Chelsea.
Earlier, substitute midfielder Leandro Paredes netted from a deflected free kick in first-half stoppage time to give the visitors a 1-0 lead before Cristian Tovar evened it in the second half.
Roma, coached by Jose Mourinho, is trying to reach its third straight European final.
Also in Group G, Slavia Prague took home three points from Geneva after beating Servette 2-0.
Atalanta relied on second-half goals from forward Charles De Ketelaere and substitute Éderson in a 2-0 victory over another newcomer Raków Czestochowa in Group D while Rangers beat Real Betis 1-0 in Group C.
Ludovic Blas scored the first goal in the competition this season in the second minute to help Rennes beat Maccabi Haifa 3-0 in Group F. In the group’s other game, Panathinaikos defeated Villarreal, the 2021 Europa League champion, 2-0.
In Group H, Florian Wirtz, Aminde Adli, Victor Boniface and substitute Jonas Hofmann had a goal each for Leverkusen to rout Sweden’s newcomer Häcken 4-0.
EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE
Albanian forward Ernest Muçi netted twice in the second half in Warsaw as Legia beat Aston Villa 3-2 to spoil the English team’s return to the the group stage of a European competition for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
Villa, the 1982 European Cup winners, had to come from a goal down twice in the first half in the Group E game.
Villa forward Jhon Duran headed in an equalizer just three minutes after Pawel Wszolek put the hosts ahead in the third minute. Muçi made it 2-1 in the 26th with his first before defender Lucas Digne made it 2-2 later on.
In the other group’s game, Zrinjski made a victorious debut for a club from Bosnia in Europe with a 4-3 win over Alkmaar.
In Group F, last year’s runner-up Fiorentina started its campaign with a 2-2 draw at Genk in Belgium. Defender Luca Ranieri headed home twice for his first two goals for the Italian team.
KÍ Klaksvík, the first team from the Faeroe Islands to reach the group stage in any European competition, lost 2-1 at Slovan Bratislava in Group A.
Also, host Maccabi Tel-Aviv beat Icelandic club Breidablik 3-2 in Group B.
In Group G, Eintracht Frankfurt opened with a 2-1 over over Aberdeen.
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