UEFA Champions League: Liverpool destroy LASK 6-3 as Barcola bags hat-trick

Andoni Iraola rotated heavily for Liverpool’s Champions League away match against LASK, making four changes from the side that lost to Manchester City. 

Virgil van Dijk rested, while Kostas Tsimikas and Jeremie Frimpong started at full-back, Tsimikas captaining. Rio Ngumoha joined Lewis Koumas in attack amid the absences of Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo. Bradley Barcola played left, with Ngumoha on the right. 

The front four had only one prior Champions League goal for the club combined, and just Wirtz and Gravenberch among the XI had scored for Liverpool in the competition. It was the Reds’ third-youngest Champions League lineup.

Liverpool dominated a LASK team in their first home Champions League game. On their sixth corner, Ronald Araujo headed in from Tsimikas’ delivery. 

Two minutes later Barcola scored his first for the club after Ngumoha’s right-wing run. Only 95 seconds separated the goals. 

Koumas finished neatly but was offside; Gravenberch hit the post. Liverpool controlled everything. Barcola made it 3-0 before half-time, converting Wirtz’s precise pass across goal.

Six minutes into the second half, Frimpong headed home another Tsimikas cross from the back post. An offside flag again denied Koumas. 

Van Dijk and Joe Gomez replaced Araujo and Jeremy Jacquet at the hour mark. Seconds later, LASK substitute Ljubicic scored with his first touch, angering Alisson. 

Liverpool replied instantly: Ngumoha released Frimpong, whose low cross let Barcola tap in for a hat-trick.

Koumas finally scored after a press, with another Frimpong assist. Frimpong’s poor positioning then put LASK onside, allowing Flecker two consolation goals in quick succession. Five goals arrived in 14 minutes as the game turned chaotic.

The emphatic win gave players and the team the confidence boost they needed ahead of Saturday’s trip to Brentford.