AcademyU18s match report: Liverpool beaten away at Manchester City
Liverpool U18s were beaten 3-1 away at their Manchester City counterparts on Saturday.
Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side fell behind to a Divine Mukasa penalty at the City Football Academy and Josh Sonni-Lambie’s equaliser was quickly followed by a Kian Noble strike.
Both teams had chances in the remainder but it was City who took one, substitute Kaden Braithwaite adding their third goal on 77 minutes.
There was an even beginning to the U18 Premier League North game but the hosts got in front prior to the quarter-hour mark from the penalty spot.
Liverpool were aggrieved by the decision as Matty Warhurst went down in the box under the attention of Louis Enahoro-Marcus, with Mukasa sending his kick in off the right-hand post.
The Reds almost carved through as they sought a response, with Clae Ewing breaking in behind down the left and squaring into the box – but no teammate could connect.
They did draw level on 29 minutes, however. A free-kick into the area from the left channel was not cleared and after Lucas Pitt and Enahoro-Marcus kept the ball alive, Sonni-Lambie nudged it past home goalkeeper Max Hudson from close range.
But parity was frustratingly short-lived. A City corner delivery from the left flank bobbled off heads in the near-post area and Noble hooked a finish between the ruck and in.
Mukasa dragged a decent strike wide of the right post from 20 yards as the home team looked likely to add to the scoresheet before half-time arrived.
Warhurst flicked a diving header wide from the centre of goal soon after the interval, before a good chance fell the way of Kareem Ahmed at the other end.
Pitt’s low cross from the right was cleared only towards the ‘D’ and Ahmed made nice contact with a side-footed finish that shaved the wrong side of the left post.
Liverpool’s fervent appeals for a penalty – Sonni-Lambie appeared to be brought down by Noble – were then waved away by the officials.
Momentum turned back City’s way as the second half elapsed, with Bailey Hall making one fine save and Pitt one crucial tackle to keep the deficit to one.
But the hosts put the contest to bed 13 minutes from the end, Braithwaite touching home at the back stick from a deep corner hoisted in from the right.
Team
Hall, Pitt, Ewing, Furnell-Gill, Enahoro-Marcus, Upton, Lonmeni (Ngumoha, 61), O’Connor, Sonni-Lambie, Ahmed, Bradshaw.
Unused subs: Evers, Bernard, Martin, Moran.
Next up
It’s UEFA Youth League action for the U19s on Tuesday (November 5), with Bayer Leverkusen the visitors to the Kirkby Academy.
Kick-off is 2pm GMT and the game will be shown live on LFCTV GO.
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