Liverpool, West Ham remain perfect in Europa League, newcomer Brighton pick up first point

LONDON: Ryan Gravenberch scored his first goal for his new club as Liverpool brushed aside Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League on Thursday.

The Dutch midfielder, who joined from Bayern Munich in the off-season, netted from a rebound shortly before halftime to put Liverpool 1-0 up.

Diogo Jota then sealed Liverpool’s second straight win in the second-tier European competition with a low shot in second-half stoppage time.

Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister started on the bench before coming on as a substitute after halftime to join older brother Kevin, a defender for Belgian club Union, on the field.

The Reds are two points clear atop Group E ahead of Toulouse, who beat Austria’s LASK 1-0.

Liverpool have missed out on qualification to the Champions League for the first time since 2016.

Goals from Lucas Paqueta and Nayef Aguerd helped West Ham make it two wins from two games in the Europa League with a 2-1 victory at Freiburg.

Unmarked in the area, Aguerd headed the winner from a James Ward-Prowse corner in the 66th minute, the ball bouncing in off the underside of the crossbar.

West Ham, winners of the Europa Conference League last season, had taken the lead in the eighth minute with Paqueta rising high to head in a cross from Jarrod Bowen.

Roland Sallai then equalized for Freiburg after pouncing on a rebound four minutes into the second half.

West Ham top Group A on six points. Freiburg remain on three with Serbia’s TSC Backa Topola and Olympiacos both on one after drawing 2-2.

West Ham fans were banned from the game as punishment by UEFA for incidents at the Europa Conference League final in Prague.

In Group B, Joao Pedro converted a penalty two minutes from time to earn the first point in