Koumas scores first Champions League goal and matches Gerrard milestone
Lewis Koumas scored his first Champions League goal for Liverpool on Wednesday, helping the club to a 6–3 win at LASK in Austria. The Wales international also supplied the assist for Bradley Barcola’s opening goal. Liverpool says he is only its second player aged 21 or younger to score and assist in the same Champions League match, following Steven Gerrard at Dynamo Kyiv in October 2001.
Koumas’s European milestone
- First Champions League goal
- 72nd minute at LASK, 14 October
- Goal and assist aged 21 or under
- Second Liverpool player, after Steven Gerrard
- Assist
- Barcola’s first goal, 24th minute
Reward after two offside decisions
Koumas reacted to a loose ball in the penalty area to set up Barcola’s first goal in the 24th minute. He later finished from Jeremie Frimpong’s delivery in the 72nd minute, having already seen two efforts disallowed for offside. The club’s match report records that his goal made the score 6–1. Two subsequent goals by LASK substitute Florian Flecker reduced the margin, while Barcola finished with a hat-trick.
Iraola backs his young forwards
Manager Andoni Iraola said Liverpool trusted Koumas and Trey Nyoni to contribute as first-team players. He praised the work Koumas had put in before finally being able to celebrate his first goal in the competition with the travelling supporters. Iraola also said the experience could help Liverpool rely on the younger players during a busy schedule. It is praise for this performance, rather than a guarantee of a regular starting place. Liverpool next face Brentford on Saturday before a Champions League home match against Villarreal on Tuesday.