Match reportLiverpool U18s beaten by Spurs in Premier League Cup
Liverpool U18s were beaten 3-1 by Tottenham Hotspur in their U18 Premier League Cup tie at the Academy on Saturday morning.
A hat-trick from striker Jaden Williams either side of half-time did the damage for the visitors, who kept the ball better throughout and deserved their victory.
The young Reds’ late pressure wasn’t enough to turn the game around and a late Lewis Koumas goal proved only consolation for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side.
The opener came five minutes before the interval when Williams twisted and turned impressively in the Liverpool box then drilled a low effort into the corner past Luke Hewitson to break the deadlock.
That lead was swiftly extended in first-half injury time as the ball fell to the No.9 inside the area and he beat Hewitson again.
Williams completed his hat-trick on 55 minutes when a corner from the right was missed at the front post and he was able to steer the ball home.
The Reds kept going and exerted some late pressure, which resulted in a consolation effort from Koumas, firing low past Luca Gunter with his left foot on 86 minutes.
It could have been a different story for the home team if they had taken advantage of a couple of promising situations in the first half.
A brilliant ball from full-back Niall Osborne allowed Koumas to get in front of the final defender but his strike was partly blocked by Gunter and cleared with just seven minutes on the clock.
Next, centre-back Terence Miles made a superb break upfield and played in Trent Kone-Doherty down the left. The winger’s pullback reached Ranel Young at the back post but his goalbound hit was cleared near the line by Brandon Bryan-Waugh.
Some fine deliveries by Michael Laffey from corners also offered a possible danger for the hosts, with Carter Pinnington heading one over and another almost resulting in an own goal.
Spurs were creating their chances too, however – Max McKnight blasted over from close range and Hewitson saved well from Riley Owen.
And the goals either side of half-time changed the game firmly in favour of Spurs, with Liverpool chasing the contest from then on.
Kone-Doherty and Young switched wings to try to fashion an opening and the latter picked up a poor backpass to almost grab a quick response to the third goal but his effort was blocked by a last-ditch challenge.
Substitute Iwan Roberts had the ball in the net with 10 minutes left, only for the offside flag to be raised as he slotted home after the goalkeeper spilled a decent attempt from Koumas.
The late Koumas goal offered some reward for Liverpool’s exertions in the match but the visitors saw it out to clinch all three points.
Liverpool U18s: Hewitson, Osborne, Gyimah, Pinnington, Miles, Laffey (Danns, 84), Young (Figueroa, 84), Onanuga (Roberts, 60), Koumas, McConnell, Kone-Doherty.
Unused substitutes: Morana, Samuels.
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