AcademyU21s match report: Liverpool come back to claim 2-2 draw at Leeds

The hosts got themselves in front within two minutes of kick-off at LNER Community Stadium on Sunday.

Mateo Joseph turned over possession in the Reds half and teed up Sean McGurk inside the area, and the latter beat Marcelo Pitaluga with an outside-of-the-boot finish.

Leeds continued to enjoy the better of the proceedings and they doubled their advantage as Joseph and McGurk reversed roles to strike again.

After Pitaluga had been penalised for a handball outside his box, McGurk’s set-piece delivery was headed home by Joseph for 2-0.

Liverpool’s attempt to produce a turnaround included an effort from Lewis Koumas that home goalkeeper Harry Christy had to push off target.

Pitaluga denied Leeds a third with a save to thwart McGurk’s lob from long range, and the visitors were able to reduce their deficit before the interval.

In added time, Trent Kone-Doherty’s cross into the area took a heavy deflection off Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen and went past Christy for an own goal.

Mateusz Musialowski’s low strike drew a save from the Leeds ’keeper during the early exchanges of the second half and he kept them at bay again just before the hour, this time repelling a blast from Paul Glatzel.

The Reds’ growing pressure told at the game’s three-quarter mark, though, with Musialowski providing an equaliser with a finish from the edge of the box.

Darko Gyabi sent a promising chance wide as Leeds sought to strike back, and Liverpool then needed Pitaluga to produce an important save from Joe Snowdon.

But there was nothing to separate the sides in the time remaining – and so it was a hard-fought point apiece.

TEAM

Liverpool U21s: Pitaluga, Miles, Davidson, Pinnington, Nallo, Hill, Pilling, Musialowski (Cannonier, 90+2), Kone-Doherty (Gordon, 60), Koumas, Glatzel.

Unused subs: K. Kelly, O. Kelly.

NEXT UP

Barry Lewtas’ U21s are back in action next Saturday, with West Ham United the visitors to the Kirkby Academy for a 2pm GMT kick-off in PL2.