Liverpool thump Toulouse 5-1 in Europa League

Agency :
Liverpool thrashed Toulouse 5-1 at Anfield to reach the halfway point of the Europa League group stage with a perfect record, while Brighton & Hove Albion secured their first win in European football with a 2-0 home win over Ajax Amsterdam on Thursday.

Diogo Jota opened the scoring for Liverpool after nine minutes, embarking on a solo run that saw him navigate past four defenders before planting the ball into the bottom corner.

Toulouse responded seven minutes later as Thijs Dallinga perfectly timed his run from the halfway line into the box, effortlessly slotting home in the Group E clash.

The rest of the match belonged to Liverpool as Wataru Endo headed them back in front just past the half-hour mark.

Four minutes later Darwin Nunez extended their lead with a shot from a tight angle, capitalizing on a rebound inside the box.

Nunez nearly netted again in the 65th minute but his shot from the right side of the box struck the post after a superb run.

Nevertheless, Ryan Gravenberch capitalized on the rebound to score Liverpool’s fourth goal.

Three minutes into stoppage time late substitute Mohamed Salah completed the thrashing with a well-placed shot into the top corner from closer range, having bemused his marker.

That goal took the Egyptian’s tally to 43 for Liverpool in major European competitions, a record for any player at an English club.

Liverpool top the group by five points over Union Saint Gilloise and Toulouse, who both have four points.