"Thank you Lucho", "What an embarrassment" - Twitter explodes as Luis Diaz scores late equalizer for Liverpool in 1-1 draw against Luton
Luis Diaz dramatically leveled the score for Liverpool in the dying minutes to put the score at 1-1, thwarting Luton's hopes of a landmark Premier League victory.
After a painful absence due to his father's abduction in Colombia, Diaz made an emotional return to the Reds' lineup. Introduced as a substitute, he nodded in a crucial goal from Harvey Elliott's delivery.
Following the brilliant effort, he unveiled a 'Libertad Para Papa' message under his jersey, shedding light on the ongoing ordeal with his still-missing father. 'Libertad Para Papa' translates to 'Freedom for Dad'.
Luton, on the other hand, believed they had clinched the match. Ex-Manchester United talent Tahith Chong deftly slipped the ball past Alisson Becker following a stellar counterattacking play by Issa Kabore. This happened amid Liverpool's calls for a handball offense by Ross Barkley during their own set piece.
Amid the controversy, VAR upheld Luton's goal, leading to jubilation at Kenilworth Road. Prior to the Luton breakthrough, Liverpool's Darwin Nunez had spectators gasping. After a header from Mohamed Salah, Nunez astonishingly sent the ball skyward from point-blank range. Earlier in the contest, the striker's effort rattled the woodwork, summing up a frustrating evening for Jurgen Klopp's men.
Despite a significant expected goal tally of 3.04, Liverpool only managed to find the net in the dying moments. The draw dented their aspirations of ascending to second place. However, for Luton, the hard-earned point nudges them clear of the relegation troubles, at least temporarily.
And here's how Twitter weighed in, with one fan praising Luis Diaz, saying:
"Thank you Lucho."
Another fan expected more from Jurgen Klopp's men:
"What an embarrassment."
Here is a selection of their tweets:
Klopp highlights Diaz's emotional goal but stresses bigger picture after Liverpool's draw
In the wake of their 1-1 stalemate, Jurgen Klopp highlighted the emotional resonance of Luis Diaz's last-minute header for the Reds. The Colombian forward's goal was an outcry for the release of his kidnapped father, as indicated by his heartfelt shirt message.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Klopp acknowledged the significance of Diaz's equalizer, but was quick to underline the overarching concern, which was his father (via EuroSport):
"A wonderful moment, but it doesn't change the situation. The most important thing is that his father gets released. It is wonderful he wanted to be here. That's it, for us a super-important goal and for him very important and emotional, but that's it."
Klopp steered the conversation back to its essence, concluding:
“But that is not the most important part today. He scored the goal but we need to see some improvement in Colombia."
While Luis Diaz's mother was rescued, the winger's father remains with the abductors, with a manhunt underway in the South American country.