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Liverpool Destroy Sparta Praga and Advance to Europa League's QF
Four goals in a fifteen-minute span, coupled with two scored early in the second half, solidified Liverpool's overwhelming superiority over their opponent, Sparta Prague (6-1), in the return leg of a tie that had already been decided in the first leg, when Jurgen Klopp's side prevailed 5-1.
Mohamed Salah spearheaded the Reds' commanding display. The Egyptian scored one of the four early goals, the third, and assisted on two others, one for young Bobby Clark in the 8th minute and another for Dutchman Cody Gakpo in the 14th. The scoring was opened by Uruguayan Darwin Núñez, seven minutes into the game, after receiving a pass from Hungarian Dominik Szoboszlai.
Near halftime, the Central European team somewhat mitigated the situation with a goal from Bosnian Veljko Birmancevic, assisted by Ecuadorian Angelo Preciado.
Neither Liverpool nor Salah slowed down after halftime. The African star added one more assist, his third of the match, for Szoboszlai to make it five.
The sixth goal was scored by Cody Gakpo, his second of the game, and Liverpool eased off the gas. With an aggregate score of 11-2, the English team, favored for the title in this Europa League edition, deemed the matter closed, and the rest of the match was mere formality.
Thus, Liverpool advances to the Europa League quarter-finals, while Sparta bids farewell to the continental tournament.