Divock Origi has revealed his delight at scoring his second Liverpool goal during Saturday’s pre-season victory over HJK. The striker came off the bench to open the scoring in Helsink, before Philippe Coutinho added a second.
The Belgian took his goal nicely. He latched on to James Milner’s flick on and picked up possession with his back to goal, and then used his strength and skill to turn his man inside the area and direct his shot past the goalkeeper.
“I think we played well and I’m always happy to score,” he told our official website at full-time. “As a striker, it was very difficult to play this team. But, tactically, the coach found the solutions and in the end we won 2-0, so it’s nice.”
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The Finnish champions certainly provided us with a stern test. They defended well for large portions of the game, often putting every man behind the ball, and it took a frustrating 70 minutes before we eventually broke them down.
Nonetheless, a win is a win and Brendan Rodgers’ side have now emerged victorious from four out of five pre-season games. With just one more fixture remaining before the big Premier League kick-off next weekend, Origi admits he is impressed by the attitude and commitment of the whole squad.
Asked how he himself has adapted to life in English football following a season on loan at Lille, he said: “I think I’ve started well and I’ve had to adapt to the rhythm, because in England the rhythm is very high. I was happy to score and I’m confident for the rest of the season.
“The most important thing was to adapt to the rhythm and the players – I’ve had to give 200 per cent in every training session but I’m learning every day and now it’s paying off.
“With the new guys coming in, we have a very strong squad,” he added. “Everybody is sharp and we’re ready for Stoke. We’re ready for a very good season, the mentality is very good, we’re very tight as a group and now we have to show it on the field.”