Match reportSuperCupNI: Danns winner sees Liverpool U18s beat Man Utd

The first-half strike separated the sides in a tight tussle played in front of a sold-out crowd of around 3,500 spectators at Coleraine Showgrounds on Wednesday night.

And Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s Reds also had goalkeeper Kornel Misciur to thank after he made several good saves before the interval.

It was United who started faster, a superb run from Jack Moorhouse taking him all the way across the Liverpool defence but his shot was well saved by Misciur, who gathered the subsequent corner with similar confidence.

The summer arrival from Hull City was called into action once again a few minutes later, producing a stunning low save to deny Gabriele Biancheri.

A quarter of an hour in, Danns showed fine control to put the ball in the United net, only for the assistant referee to rule he had received the ball in an offside position.

A tight half ensued before the Reds took the lead five minutes from the break. United were caught trying to play out from the back and a quick pass put Danns in on goal and he made no mistake with a low finish.

The first opportunity of the second period fell to Liverpool’s goalscorer from their opening fixture of the tournament versus Valencia, with Keyrol Figueroa just leaning back on a good chance created by Kieran Morrison’s industry on the right and sending it too high.

Trent Kone-Doherty arrived from the bench to give the Reds an instant threat on the left but United were creating too, Ethan Williams firing just wide after build-up work from Ashton Missin.

Kone-Doherty was denied by a good tackle from Reece Munro as he darted into the box, before a superb ball from substitute Cody Pennington put Danns in and his flicked effort went narrowly over.

A Williams free-kick was headed narrowly wide by United as the game hung in the balance, with Josh Davidson winning some fine tackles in the middle of the pitch for Liverpool.

Kone-Doherty almost stretched the Reds’ lead with several good runs late on, while Missin fired wide for the opposition, and a single goal proved enough.

Bridge-Wilkinson’s charges – who sit second in the four-team group, behind Valencia on goals scored – will complete their SuperCupNI campaign against Hertha BSC at the same venue on Friday evening.

Liverpool U18s: Misciur, Pitt, Gyimah, Furnell-Gill, Pinnington, Davidson, Ahmed, Morrison (Pennington, 62), Figueroa (Esdaille, 80), Danns, Bradshaw (Kone-Doherty, 56).