The Violets dominated the Reds in intensity and offered themselves a prestigious victory on Thursday at home (3-2) despite a scare at the end of the match with the equalizing goal refused. They are now in a good position to see the final phase.
Thirty-seven years after a historic victory against Diego Maradona’s Napoli, Toulouse has achieved a new European feat. At the end of an exceptional match, Téfécé achieved a prestigious success against Liverpool (3-2), Thursday November 9, for the fourth day of the Europa League group stage. Moribund in the championship (14th), the Violets are improving on the European scene and are now second in Group E, in a good position to escape from their group.
The evening had everything to be historic, in a Stadium of great evenings. With one check, however, it could have remained as an immense frustration. Very disappointing throughout the match and with a strongly reshuffled starting eleven, the Reds were indeed a hair – or rather, an arm – away from bringing home an unexpected draw, with a goal from young Jarell Quansah at the end of added time. (90th+9). Validated initially, this equalization was canceled in confusion and after intervention by the VAR, for a prior handball from Alexis Mac Allister.
A gala Dallinga
Celebrated as if it were a Toulouse goal, this saving whistle from M.Kabakov definitively turned this match into the irrational. It also allowed the young goalkeeper Guillaume Restes (18 years old) to mingle with the ultras of the Brice Taton corner and launch the victory song. Before that, the 32,000 Toulouse supporters had already had good reason to be ecstatic about the exciting performance of their players. Applied during the first half hour, the Haut-Garonnais opened the scoring after a high recovery, on a deflected shot from Aron Dönnum (1-0, 36th).
Little threatened by the amorphous Reds, Toulouse increased its lead at an idyllic start to the second act. On a controlled sequence of school shots, striker Thijs Dallinga doubled the lead with a superb cross shot (2-0, 58th), a few minutes after having a goal refused for offside. Struggling in Ligue 1 but prolific in Europe (three goals), the Dutchman reflects the double face of these Toulouse residents.
Praises for Jürgen Klopp
While they collapsed at the end of the match against Le Havre on Sunday (1-2), the Violets held on this time after the English score was reduced, with an own goal from Cristian Casseres (74th, 2-1 ). Better, they immediately kept Liverpool at bay, with a third goal on a new collective action, by Frank Magri (76th, 3-1). At a stressful end to the match, Toulouse was close to paying for its energy left in very intense pressing. But on arrival, the goal of the incoming Diogo Jota following a slalom (88th, 3-2) served no purpose, except to make the scenario even more epic with this goal narrowly refused.
“Congratulations to Toulouse, they responded to the physical duel that we imposed on them and were more aggressive than us, they deserve it”, greeted Reds coach Jürgen Klopp at the microphone of RMC Sport. Outclassed at Anfield two weeks ago (1-5), Toulouse have healed their wounds and are in an ideal position to, at a minimum, play the Europa League play-offs. They will have to maintain their second place, which they hold with three points ahead of Union Saint-Gilloise, beaten in Linz (0-3).