Liverpool win thrilling Europa League tie

English side overpower the Swiss side Young Boys 5-3.

PARIS: Liverpool almost paid the price for fielding a near second-string side for their Europa League opener with Swiss side Young Boys in Bern on Thursday, but held on to win a thrilling match 5-3.

The Merseyside giants were the only English winners on the night with Newcastle held 0-0 at Maritimo in Portugal and Tottenham also left goalless at home to Lazio.

Liverpool, in their 100th Uefa Cup and Europa League match, went 1-0 up after just four minutes but Raphael Nuzzolo pulled one back before Andre Wisdom made it 2-1 for Liverpool at the break. The home side shot into the lead with goals from Ojala and, thanks to an excellent finish, Gonzalo Zarate in the 63rd minute. But Sebastian Coates got one back to draw the Reds level, and impressive 20-year-old replacement Jonjo Shelvey bagged a brace to give the scoreline a slightly more healthy hue than it deserved.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2012.