It was an ideal start for Liverpool in Prague. On a cold and blistering March evening, Alexis MacAllister burst into the penalty box and won a penalty for Liverpool just a few minutes in.
The Argentine, who is currently in excellent form, then converted his own penalty. Putting the ball comfortably in the back of the net. It was his third goal in a Liverpool shirt. But it was his sixth goal for Liverpool in the previous six games.
Later, he added an assist, bringing his total to six goals in six games. He only had three in his previous 26 contests. It just goes to demonstrate how good he has been lately.
But immediately before that penalty, Darwin Nunez appeared eager to either steal Mac Allister’s thunder or offer him advise. We can’t be the judge.
Nunez spoke with the Reds’ midfielder for quite some time before Mac Allister lined up to take it. The two South American players appeared to be having a cordial talk, arm in arm. We couldn’t determine what they were talking about.
Nunez did appear eager to take the penalty himself. He even had the ball in his possession at one point. Regardless of what was said, it was agreed that Mac Allister would get the opportunity to take the penalty kick.
He is, of course, well-versed in taking penalties, having been a regular at Brighton throughout his time there. Meanwhile, Darwin Nunez has taken two penalties for Liverpool. He scored once against LASK in the Europa League but missed another against Chelsea in the Premier League in January.
Liverpool had a night to remember in Prague. A easy victory was possibly only marred by one minor blunder by Conor Bradley.
Sparta Prague surged forward in the second half, attacking Liverpool. The host team attempted to apply as much pressure as possible on the Reds. Much of it was borne by Liverpool’s defence and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
However, it was an unfortunate moment from Bradley that stopped Liverpool from keeping their fourth consecutive clean sheet. When Sparta Prague put the ball into the penalty area, Bradley chose to clear it after being pressured by another Sparta Prague defender behind him. However, he missed his clearance and thumped the ball into the net.
Ibrahima Konate raced to Conor Bradley’s help.
Rousing the Kop was live in Prague tonight and witnessed Bradley’s reaction in the aftermath. The 20-year-old gave a strong reaction. He immediately raised his head and did not appear to let the moment overwhelm him.
What must have helped was Ibrahima Konate’s quick response to assist Bradley. While the Sparta Prague players celebrated their goal, Konate embraced his teammate and tapped his hand in support.
That was a very sweet and emotional moment from one of Liverpool’s more experienced players. The 24-year-old defender is not particularly young, but his approach and mentality demonstrate that he is mature beyond his years.
Among the numerous reasons for this is Liverpool’s optimism that Konate’s injury, which looked to occur during the game, is not serious.
