JAKARTA - Dominik Szoboszlai said his preparations paid off with his free kick trick that gave Liverpool the lead in a 3-0 victory over Marseille in the Champions League on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
The match was still scoreless until the injury time at the end of the first half when Liverpool got a free kick due to a 20-yard foul from the Marseille goal.
The four Marseille players stood in a defensive formation without the added protection of teammates lying on the living fence, which is meant to block low shots when they all jump.
The four Marseille players jumped at the same time and Szoboszlai fired low and just under them, which goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli could not reach.
The lying position in the living fence is a relatively new addition to the football defensive strategy and is often seen - just not this time at the Velodrome.
"I've prepared myself and been told that if no one else lies down, I might have a chance to kick the ball under the defense wall."
"No player was lying down, so I tried it and it worked," Szoboszlai told TNT Sports.
Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi admitted that the goal was a silly goal.
Meanwhile, Szoboszlai was given the responsibility to take the free kick even though Mohamed Salah had already returned to play.
The Egyptian striker was included in the starting line-up for the first time since the 1-4 home defeat against PSV Eindhoven on November 26, 2025.
"Well, we always discuss it. He asked if I wanted to take it, I said, yes, because I had checked if there were no players lying down."
"I was going to kick the ball under the defense wall. He agreed and, yes, I scored," Szoboszlai said of his conversation with Salah about the free kick.
Salah has had a turbulent month at Liverpool - ahead of departing for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco - which has left many fans wondering if his illustrious nine-season spell at Anfield is over.
Salah said in December 2025 that he felt betrayed and scapegoated - an emotional outburst after a game at Leeds United's home when he spent time on the bench in a 3-3 draw.
However, Szoboszlai welcomed Salah's return to the squad after the end of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations last weekend.
"I'm very happy he's back. He not only helps the team on the pitch, but also off the pitch. As you know, I'm very close to him."
"I'm happy to play with him because he has shown many times that he has the quality to change the course of the game. Even though he didn't score or assist today, he still worked hard."
"Sometimes we have to close our eyes and work hard for the team. Maybe in the next game he will score a goal or give an assist," he said.
Salah's performance also received praise from Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.
"It shows how professional he is because he can be away for more than a month with another team and still be fit to play 90 minutes for us after a one-day training."
"He was very close to the goal, usually it would be a goal from him, but that didn't hurt us because we scored three goals," said Arne Slot.
Liverpool added to the goal after Szoboszlai's free kick in the second half, with Rulli's own goal deflecting Jeremie Frimpong's low cross into the net and Cody Gakpo's shot in injury time.
The victory lifted the English champions to fourth place in the Champions League standings, two points above ninth-placed Barcelona, with Qarabag their next opponents at home next week.
The top eight teams in the league phase will directly qualify for the round of 16 and avoid the playoffs.
"It's very important because we have to play with the same players when we are covered by injuries almost all season. That's probably the reason why we ran out of energy in some games when we conceded."
"I think Virgil (van Dijk) has never had more than three days off, as has Ryan (Gravenberch) and others, but they always perform at their best no matter how many setbacks we have experienced this season," said Arne Slot, whose team extended their unbeaten record to 13 games.
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