Liverpool hammer Sparta Prague 5-1 with Nunez double

PRAGUE : An early penalty by Alexis Mac Allister and a Darwin Nunez brace helped Liverpool to thrash Sparta Prague 5-1 in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday.

After Mac Allister was taken down inside the box, the Argentine gave Liverpool the lead from the spot in the sixth minute. He sent Sparta keeper Peter Jensen the wrong way as he fired into the bottom corner.

Nunez doubled the advantage from a distance in the 25th, scoring just under the bar and leaving Sparta goalkeeper with no chance before making it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time.

Liverpool substitute Conor Bradley scored an own goal just after the break but the visitors restored their three-goal lead in the 53rd minute through Luis Diaz and Dominik Szoboszlai added a fifth in added time.