2. Bundesliga
Karlsruhe lose to Liverpool in friendly
Lars Stindl's Karlsruhe went down against Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool in a warm-up game at the Wildparkstadion.
Karlsruhe 2-4 Liverpool
Goals: 0-1 Nunez 3', 1-1 Stindl 39', 2-1 Jung 50', 2-2 Gakpo 69', 2-3 Jota 90'+1, 2-4 Jota 90'+3
After 13 years in the Bundesliga with Hannover and Borussia Mönchengladbach, Stindl was back where it all began at Karlsruhe. The 34-year-old attacker scored a stunning equaliser to cancel out Darwin Nunez's early opener at the BBBank Wildpark.
Fans inside the recently refurbished stadium had even more to celebrate after the restart when Sebastian Jung clattered home a near-post rocket to make it 2-1 to Christian Eichner's side. Yet a tidy Cody Gakpo leveller preceded a late Diogo Jota double as Liverpool left the impressive arena with the win their coach Jürgen Klopp will have enjoyed.
Watch: Jürgen Klopp - Made in the Bundesliga
Teams
Karlsruhe: Drewes - Jung, Franke, Bormuth, Heise - Gondorf (c), Nebel, Wanitzek, Stindl - Rossmann, Schleusener
Subs: Eisele, Weiß, Beifus, Burnic, Brosinski, Zivzivadze, Harold, Thiede, Marino, Arase, Souchard, Ersungur
Out: O'Shaughnessy (hip), Sihlaroglu (cruciate ligament)
Coach: Christian Eichner
Liverpool: Kelleher - Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk (c), Robertson - Alexander-Arnold, Clark, Szoboszlai, Diaz - Salah, Nunez
Subs: Jaros, Mrozek, Gomez, Mac allister, Gakspo, Jota, Tsimikas, Matip, Scanlon, Dock, McConnell, Koumas, Quansah
Out: Thiago (hip)
Coach: Jürgen Klopp
As it happened ...
2 - 4(0 - 0)
Karlsruhe
FINAL
Liverpool
90' +3
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Game over
The referee brings an entertaining pre-season friendly to a close. Liverpool win it with a couple of late goals but there will be plenty of positives for Karlsruhe to take from this game, not least Lars Stindl's super strike to level proceedings at 1-1.
90' +3
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Reds' late flourish
Diogo Jota races onto Mac Allister's through pass and slots in his team's fourth of the game.
90' +1
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Liverpool in front
Klopp's men have probably won this friendly after Jota jinks his way through before applying a neat finish in injury time.
89'
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Time added on
There will be three minutes added to the 90'.
85'
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Almost Brosinski
McConnell makes a huge challenge to deny Daniel Brosinski, who was almost away on goal.
82'
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Karlsruhe swap
Burnic is on for Gondorf for the hosts.
78'
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Sting gone
We've entered true pre-season friendly mode now with both teams stroking the ball around and the fans doing the Mexican wave.
72'
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Karlsruhe changes
Herold is in for Jung while Arase replaces Stindl for Karlsruhe. Beifus is also coming on, with Franke making way.
73'
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Drewes frustrates Jota
Diogo Jota bursts through, plays a neat one-two and suddenly has a sight of goal. Drewes races off his line and expertly clears with his feet.
69'
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Liverpool level
A lofted ball from the right is knocked down to Gakpo by Jota. The Dutch attacker spins his man and slams home Liverpool's equaliser.
65'
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Men in blue defending
Karlsruhe look content to sit back and soak up the Liverpool pressure. The home side are frustrating their English opponents.
61'
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Gondorf booked
Gondorf tugs back Doak and the referee immediately whips out the yellow card to show the Karlsruher player.
61'
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Jérôme Gondorf
56'
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Reds respond
Chance for Liverpool. Mac Allister plays Scanlon in on the left. A low drive at the target is saved one-handed by Drewes.
52'
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Confident hosts
The home fans are bouncing now as Karlsruhe enjoy some extended possession having recently edged ahead.
50'
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Karlsruhe lead
A super ball over the top from Stindl catches Jung baring down on goal from the right full back position. Karlsruhe's No.2 batters the ball high in at the near post and the hosts are in front!
46'
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Liverpool XI
Jürgen Klopp will play with the following side for the second half: Jaros - Gomez, Matip, Quansah, Tsimikas - McConnell, Mac Allister, Scanlon - Gakpo, Doak, Jota
46'
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Peeeeep!
Liverpool sub Mac Allister kicks-off the second half. The visitors have a completely different XI on the pitch this half, more on which to follow ...
45' +3
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Half time
The referee brings a highly-entertaining first half to a close. Applause all around as both sides head in for a deserved break.
45' +2
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Wanitzek no way through
Heise goes down under the challenge of Szoboszlai. Free kick in an interesting position for the hosts. Marvin Wanitzek fails to beat the wall with his subsequent set piece.
45'
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Time added on
There'll be three minutes of injury time to play at the BBBank Wildpark.
43'
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Drewes alert
Drewes denies Nunez, who probably should have done better from close range.
39'
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What a goal!
Lars Stindl !!! Oh my, this is quite something. The Karlsruhe corner comes in from the left. Stindl is watching all the way and swings his leg, thwacking a venomous volley in off the underside of the crossbar! The home fans understandably go crazy.
35'
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Drewes denies Salah
Karlsruhe captain Gondor loses possession out wide and it ends with Liverpool winning a corner. Robertson takes. The ball is nodded out to Salah, who strikes straight into the arms of goalkeeper Patrick Drewes.
30'
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Franke defends
Back up the other end and there's a solid intervention from Franke, who denies Darwin Nunez at the last.
29'
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On we go ...
Problem solved and with the waterworks out of action, Nebel gets down the right and wins a corner off Alexander Arnold. Franke heads over from the resulting set-piece.
27'
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Sprinkler chaos!
We were all set to go again after the water break, however, the sprinklers have just turned on at the BBBank Wildpark.
23'
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Water break
With both sets of players caked in sweat, now seems as good a time as any to take a break for some refreshments. Both coaches are taking advantage to offer some important instructions while the players wolf down the water.
19'
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Almost Stindl
So close to an equaliser! The ball loops in to Stindl following a deflection. Karlsruhe's returnee pokes at goal from close range and Liverpool goalkeeper Kelleher makes a superb save after a bit of back-pedalling.
15'
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Home pressure
Philip Heise wins a corner for the hosts and the home fans let out a huge cheer. Heise takes it and the ball pings about inside the Liverpool area before Konate whacks clear.
11'
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Szoboszlai settling
Former Leipzig man Dominik Szoboszlai has had several touches thus far as he looks to ease his way into his new side. Karlsruhe are content to sit back and soak up the pressure.
8'
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Goal chalked off
A Trent Alexander Arnold corner is nodded in by Van Dijk but the referee blows for a foul inside the area. Free kick Karlsruhe.
6'
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Hosts up against it
Karlsruhe started relatively well in the opening couple of minutes before falling behind. Christian Eichner's side are being pegged back now, however. It's all Liverpool since the goal.
3'
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Liverpool lead
First blood to Liverpool. Darwin Nunez skips into the area and looks to play in Salah to his left. Nunez might have taken a shot there but the ball rolls back into his path and he fires in for the game's first goal.
1'
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Game on!
A super-fit looking Lars Stindl gets this friendly underway ....
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Teams in tunnel
The music is blasting out around the ground as we await the appearance of both sides. It's the perfect evening for football with the sun beaming down on this impressive ground.
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New stadium bounce
Lest we forget, Karlsruhe are hosting their first game at the fully redeveloped Wildparkstadion - or the BBBank Wildpark, as it is known. The ground is looking resplendent in blue and the atmosphere is going to be extra special when this friendly gets underway shortly.
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Karlsruher starting XI
Drewes - Jung, Franke, Bormuth, Heise - Gondorf (c), Nebel, Wanitzek, Stindl - Rossmann, Schleusener
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Karlsruher subs:
Eisele, Weiß, Beifus, Burnic, Brosinski, Zivzivadze, Harold, Thiede, Marino, Arase, Souchard, Ersungur
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Liverpool starting XI
Kelleher - Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson - Alexander-Arnold, Clark, Szoboszlai, Diaz - Salah, Nunez
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Liverpool subs:
Subs: Jaros, Mrozek, Gomez, Mac allister, Gakspo, Jota, Tsimikas, Matip, Scanlon, Dock, McConnell, Koumas, Quansah
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Liverpool Karlsruhe-bound
Local media are covering the tie in great detail, and posted footage of the Premier League side's team bus headed to Karlsruhe on a sunny Autobahn in the early afternoon.
Match stats
- Stindl scored a brace against Klopp's Dortmund in the 2014/15 Bundesliga season.
- Fabian Schleusener was Karlsruhe's top scorer in Bundesliga 2 last season, with 13 goals.
- Klopp oversaw Bundesliga 340 matches as Mainz and Dortmund coach, winning the 2011 and 2012 title with the latter.
- Klopp's record as a coach in meetings with Karlsruhe reads: W5, D4, L1.
- Szoboszlai registered 12 goals and 16 assists across 62 Bundesliga appearances for Leipzig, while Thiago Alcantara won seven Bundesliga titles with Bayern.
- Liverpool defender Joel Matip is a product of Schalke's acclaimed youth academy.