Toulouse 3, Liverpool 2 - Match Recap: Reds Routed In France

1 year ago 236

Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

A look back at the key moments in Liverpool’s defeat to Toulouse in Europa League action.

Toulouse 3 - 2 Liverpool

Purple Team: Donnum 36’, Dallinga 58’, Magri 76’

Red Team: Casseres 74’ (OG), Jota 89’

Pre-Match

We got the best pre-match news we could hope for, as it was reported that Luis Diaz’s father was finally released from his kidnappers and is once again safe.

Football wise the Reds have a chance to clinch the top spot in the group with a win and a bit of help from LASK tonight. And Joe Gomez leads the side out as captain, which is brilliant to see.

First Half

Liverpool are dominating possession and winning it back quickly when out of possession in the early stages of the match. However, the Reds have not created much of substance, spare a Joe Gomez header that cruelly rattled off the crossbar. Joe might be cursed, at least in front of goal.

Kostas Tsimikas gets his pockets picked, and Toulouse take full advantage and take the lead (with the help of a slightly lucky deflection that takes Kelleher completely out of the equation).

The ref blows for halftime, which is a bit merciful at this point. The Reds have lost their heads a bit after the goal, throwing in some unnecessarily rough tackles. Endo, in particular, is a bit lucky not to be sent after an iffy challenge whilst already on a yellow. It will be interesting to see how long Klopp continues with the lads on the pitch before deciding to bring on more firepower.

Second Half

Looks like Klopp is making some big changes at the half, bringing on Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Dominik Szoboszlai. No more fucking around. They come on for Endo, Tsimikas, and Doak.

Despite the early changes, Liverpool nearly go down 2-0 not once, but twice. The home side bailed us out the first time with a poor finish, and the second time with a foul in the build up. The chippiness continues, as the home side continue putting in rough challenges all over the pitch. The Reds are in for a fight tonight.

Toulouse finally succeed in making their efforts count. It’s a good cross and finish, but all too easy in the second half.

With about twenty to play Darwin Nunez comes on in place of Cody Gakpo.

And Liverpool immediately pull one back, thanks to the funniest own goal you’ll ever see. The Toulouse defender appeared to swat the ball into his own net. Brilliant.

...aaaand Toulouse immediately score again on the other end. Well. Sometimes this shit just happens on the road in Europe.

Diogo Jota comes on for Luis Diaz. Sure. Why not?

Jota pulls one back! The Portuguese striker picks the ball up near midfield, drives through the defense and slots. Easy, right?

Quansah appears to score a last-gasp equalizer, but the ref, who has been nothing but a braindead fuckwit all night, chalks it off after a VAR check.