Liverpool stunned by Toulouse in Europa League, Brighton ease to win at Ajax
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Liverpool's Luis Diaz looks dejected after the Reds conceded their second goal, scored by Toulouse's Thijs Dallinga.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TOULOUSE – Liverpool were second best in virtually all the decisive moments against Toulouse on Thursday and fully deserved their 3-2 Europa League defeat, manager Jurgen Klopp said.
The Reds, who beat the French side 5-1 at home two weeks ago, remain top of Group E with nine points from four matches, leading Toulouse by two points with two games to go.
“It was well deserved to lose because they won pretty much all the decisive challenges, battles,” Klopp admitted.
“We had too many situations where we should have won the ball but we didn’t.”
It was the second disappointing result in a week for Liverpool after Sunday’s 1-1 league draw at Luton Town, but Klopp also insisted there had been no lack of intensity from his team.
“No, I am not concerned. In the end, we were intense – we threw everything in,” he added.
“But the problem is, in a football game you have to make the decisive things in the right moments to do them right. We cannot concede the goals we conceded again.”
Liverpool started strongly but it was the hosts who broke the deadlock.
After 36 minutes, Aron Donnum intercepted the ball in midfield, broke into the box and scored with a deflected shot before Thijs Dallinga doubled the advantage in the 58th minute.
Klopp’s men pulled one back in the 74th minute through an own goal from Cristian Casseres, but Frank Magri restored Toulouse’s two-goal advantage two minutes later, slotting home a deflected cross from close range.
Luis Diaz, whose father had been released by kidnappers
Jota gave the Premier League side hope when he dribbled into the box and placed the ball into the bottom corner of the net to make it 3-2 in the 89th minute.
Liverpool thought they had salvaged a draw when Jarell Quansah found the net in the seventh minute of stoppage time, but the video assistant referee disallowed it due to a handball by Alexis Mac Allister earlier in the move.
Klopp was clearly unhappy with the decision, resulting in a protest with the referee.
“I only saw the video now and for me it’s not a handball,” he lamented.
“The ball goes to the chest and then I don’t see a contact with the arm, to be honest. Maybe they had a different picture than I had.”
Fellow Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, meanwhile, took a big step towards qualifying for the knockout stage with a 2-0 win at Ajax Amsterdam.
The Seagulls secured their second victory of the competition with a comfortable win, thanks to goals from Ansu Fati and Simon Adingra.
“We are very happy for our fans and our club,” said manager Roberto de Zerbi.
“We deserved to win... In the end I think we are in a good way. We are improving in the quality of play.”
Brighton had taken the top spot in Group B on seven points before Marseille beat AEK Athens 2-0 to move above them on eight points.
West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta scored a late goal to earn his side a 1-0 home win over Olympiakos as they retained top spot in Group A.
Roma suffered a shock 2-0 loss at Slavia Prague, slipping to second place in Group G, level on nine points with the Czech side who top the standings.
Bayer Leverkusen earned a last-gasp 1-0 win at Qarabag in Group H to maintain their perfect start and secure their place in the knockout stage. REUTERS, AFP
