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Liverpool advance to Europa League last 18 with 11-2 triumph

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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Cody Gakpo of Liverpool celebrates scoring his teams sixth goal with teammates during the UEFA Europa League 2023/24 round of 16 second leg match between Liverpool FC and AC Sparta Praha at Anfield on March 14, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Cody Gakpo of Liverpool celebrates scoring his teams sixth goal with teammates during the UEFA Europa League 2023/24 round of 16 second leg match between Liverpool FC and AC Sparta Praha at Anfield on March 14, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Liverpool cruised to the last eight of the UEFA Europa League after hammering Sparta Prague 11-2 on aggregate in the round of 16. 

The Reds named four alterations from the draw with Manchester City through Andrew Robertson, Bobby Clark, Coady Gakpo and the returning Mohamed Salah back in the starting eleven since January.

Needless to say, a goal-feast in the opening quarter occured where Darwin Nunez arrived in the danger area and turned in Dominik Szoboszlai’s cutback inside seven minutes played.

Liverpool edged further in front a minute later when youngster Bobby Clark gallantly helped himself to a smart angled ball from Mohamed Salah to find the net.

It remained crest fallen for Sparta, who conceded possession in a dangerous position to Salah whilst looking to play from the back and left the Egyptian with an easy finish.

Szoboszlai returned minutes later and picked out a cross-field pass to Salah who in-turn squared for Gakpo to apply a simple tap-in from five-yards and make it 4-0 in the opening 15 minutes.

Praha got one back moment ahead of the resumption when Veljko Birmancevic beat Jarell Quansah to a well-weighted pass through to the area and dispatched calmly.

With the Reds comfortably leading, Coach Jurgen Klopp made three substitutions in Konstantinos Tsimikas, Harvey Elliott, and James McConnell.

Szoboszlai got in on the act two minutes in the second period as he cut inside the right of the area and dropped a shoulder to slot in off Ladislav Krejci and into the top corner.

The scoring feast continued after Praha struggled to clear corner and allowed Elliott the time and space to guide the second-ball thereof into the bottom-corner.

Praha regained a little bit of comfort afterwards, but were breached again as Gakpo closed-in from the narrowest of angles before seeing his strike palmed.

Although, with the contest one-sided from the start, the Reds comfortably ran out the latter minutes to bag a comprehensive overall victory and passage to the last eight.

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