Overwhelmed LASK fights for respect against Liverpool

In the Gugl stadium, 18,910 fans waited anxiously as the overmatched LASK on Wednesday received the red shirts of the six‑time European Cup winners. Despite a 3‑6 home defeat, the Linz side held on with fighting counter‑attacks until the final minute.

Barcola shines with Triplepack

Liverpool's new signing Bradley Barcola scored a Triplepack, hitting twice with his head and once after a cross. Alongside him, loanee Ronald Araújo and Jeremie Frimpong also scored with their heads, while the young striker Lewis Koumas added the fourth goal.

LASK's counter‑attacks and goals

For LASK, the jokers Robert Ljubicic and Florian Flecker found the net, the latter scoring twice. Ljubicic's goal came after a substitution, when he replaced Bogarde in central midfield and immediately scored LASK's first Champions League goal.

Ryan Gravenberch from the midfield hit only the inner post in the 33rd minute, while his teammate Kasper Jörgensen missed a narrow chance. The 1.72‑metre‑tall Frimpong doubled Liverpool's lead with a header to make it 0‑4.

Liverpool impose their domination on LASK in Linz

Coach decisions and lineup

Coach Dietmar Kühbauer left Saša Kalajdžić on the bench initially and started Samuel Adeniran alongside Austrian scorer Christoph Lang. Captain Sascha Horvath, George Bello and Moses Usor were absent through injury.

For the Reds, top scorers Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai were missing. Instead, Florian Wirtz played from the start, while captain Virgil Van Dijk was given a rest.

Liverpool denies LASK in Linz a big sensational upset

Late comeback and fan excitement

In the final thirty minutes LASK pressed with quick counter‑attacks, prompting the fans to cheer. Despite the defeat, the performance after an hour, when Liverpool dropped a gear, remained a highlight for the home supporters.