Ryan Gravenberch scores first goal for club as Liverpool get back to winning ways
Liverpool 2 Union Saint-Gilloise 0
AFTER being in the eye of a footballing hurricane all week, Liverpool’s new Dutch international Ryan Gravenberch helped his team negotiate their opening home Europa League game of the season in uninspiring fashion.
The £34.3 million summer signing made the difference as Jurgen Klopp’s side was finally able two focus on on-field matters, rather than finding themselves at the centre of the furious debate over the Premier League’s handling of VAR technology.
Diogo Jota sealed the win in the 92nd minute when he raced clear on the break, capitalised on a defensive mistake, and finished impressively.
But it had needed Gravenberch to lift a moribund - by their standards - Liverpool crowd when he scored just moments before the interval although it was in keeping with the tone of the post-Tottenham evening that Klopp saw his team almost immediately equalise.
The visitors carved a chance through the middle of the Liverpool defence and, with Alisson rushing out, striker Mohamed Amoura might have forced the ball into the net before Ibrahima Konate made a fine covering challenge.
Fortunately, just seconds earlier, the Belgians had conceded, with the opening goal owing everything to a disastrous goalkeeping demonstration from Union’s Luxembourg international Anthony Moris.
Liverpool broke quickly from a Union set-piece into their area, with Alisson sending Trent Alexander-Arnold sprinting upfield. An exchange of passes with Darwin Nunez and the England full-back unleashed a 20-yard shot which Moris spilled, straight to Gravenberch who scored from four yards.
Liverpool finally had their rewards for a first half in which they had enjoyed 75 per cent possession without truly hurting an opponent who
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