AcademyU21s match report: Liverpool lose to Athletic Club in PL International Cup

A first-half opener from Lewis Koumas wasn’t enough for Barry Lewtas’ side, with the Basque outfit equalising moments before the interval, taking the lead early in the second period and then grabbing a third with almost the final kick of the game.

The contest began with the visitors determined to try to keep hold of the ball, inviting a determined press from the young Reds.

From one such occasion, the home side suffered an early blow when captain Tom Hill appeared to roll his ankle and was forced to be substituted with just eight minutes played, Paul Glatzel replacing him from the bench.

Athletic Club were offering a threat on the left through Quicala Bari and Ibai Asensio blazed wastefully over from a good position just before the 20-minute mark.

Koumas was beginning to influence the match, meanwhile, darting dangerously into the box but just over-running the ball at the crucial moment.

With 25 minutes on the clock, Liverpool produced their first dangerous effort on goal. From a short corner, Trent Kone-Doherty exchanged passes with Glatzel before curling an effort just over the bar from a narrow angle.

And two minutes later they got the breakthrough. Josh Davidson swung in a deep cross from the right that was met by Glatzel and saved well by goalkeeper Oier Gastesi. Koumas was lurking at the back post, though, and rifled in the rebound with a powerful strike from inside the box.

The goal seemed to inspire Koumas further as he burst into the area between two defenders and tried to set up Glatzel, who was blocked out.

The Reds held their advantage comfortably until just before the break, when Athletic Club stirred. A headed finish was ruled out for offside after a cross from the left, but the visitors soon had their equaliser.

Again a delivery from the left brought the threat, headed back across goal and into the danger area. Fabian Mrozek made a great save to deny an initial shot, but former Academy attacker Elijah Gift was on hand to fire home, declining to celebrate against the club he left last summer.

Lewtas brought on Kieran Morrison at the break and the Northern Ireland youth international almost had an immediate impact with a shot on the turn that was too close to Gastesi.

But it was the opposition who produced the telling contributions of the half.

Mrozek did well to turn away a low shot from Bari but could do nothing on 56 minutes as Athletic Club took the lead, Asensio turning well in the box and shooting low into the net.

They might have stretched that advantage 10 minutes later. A lovely one-two at the edge of the area left striker Inigo Lopez just a few yards out from goal, but he somehow put his effort wide.

Glatzel had a speculative strike go close and Calum Scanlon fired over from a decent position as Liverpool sought an equaliser.

It almost arrived with 12 minutes left from another fine Davidson cross, Koumas setting up Morrison – whose clever attempt was just too high.

But that was as close as the hosts came and deep into injury time, Athletic Club grabbed a third. A corner was played to the edge of the box, where a shot was deflected several times before landing at the feet of substitute Asier Hierro, who made no mistake from close range.

TEAM

Liverpool U21s: Mrozek, Miles, Scanlon, Pinnington, Nallo, Pilling (K. Kelly, 85), Kone-Doherty (Figueroa, 85), Davidson, Cannonier (Morrison, 46), Hill (Glatzel, 8), Koumas.

Unused subs: O. Kelly, Spearing.

NEXT UP

The U21s will be swiftly back in action as they travel to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon. The Premier League 2 contest is a 4pm GMT kick-off at the Amex Elite Performance Centre.