Liverpool's thrilling comeback: Overcoming LASK in Europa League opener

In a thrilling Europa League opener, Liverpool displayed their resilience and quality by overcoming a surprising early deficit to secure a 3-1 victory over LASK in Austria. The Reds found themselves on the back foot when Florian Flecker unleashed a superb strike from the edge of the box, giving the hosts an early lead.

LASK's impressive first-half display was partially attributed to the brilliance of goalkeeper Tobias Lawal, who denied Liverpool's Darwin Nunez a much-needed equalizer. Nunez's determination paid off shortly after the break when he converted a penalty following a foul on Luis Diaz.

Diaz himself played a pivotal role in Liverpool's comeback, tapping in from close range after a precise low cross from Ryan Gravenberch. Substitute Mohamed Salah sealed the victory with a late and brilliant finish, sparing Liverpool from an unexpected loss.

LASK, although defeated, can take several positives from their performance against the Premier League giants. Their manager, Thomas Sageder, acknowledged their bravery and aggressiveness throughout the match. "We went 1-0 up and even had a great chance to go 2-0 ahead," Sageder noted, reflecting on their spirited first-half performance. "After that, you could see that Liverpool are a top team, they simply found the space. Unfortunately, we couldn't hold on to the result, but we gave it our all for 90 minutes."

Mohamed Salah's contribution to Liverpool's victory further solidified his status as a reliable goal-scorer. His deft finish marked his 42nd goal for the club in European competition, tying him level with Thierry Henry, who achieved the same feat while playing for Arsenal, making Salah the English side's all-time leading scorer in European competitions.

While Liverpool and LASK battled it out in Linz, the other two teams in Group E, Union Saint-Gilloise and Toulouse, faced off in Belgium. Thijs Dallinga gave the French side the lead with a penalty in first-half stoppage time, but the hosts leveled the game after the hour mark through Mohamed Amoura.

Despite a late red card for Toulouse's Logan Costa, both teams settled for a point in a closely contested match. Group E promises to deliver further exciting clashes as the Europa League campaign unfolds, with Liverpool's comeback victory setting the stage for an intriguing season ahead.