AcademyU21s match report: Liverpool suffer PL2 home defeat against West Brom
A disappointing afternoon at the Academy saw Liverpool U21s fall to a 5-0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion in Premier League 2.
The visitors took a two-goal advantage into the break and added another three in the second half to leave with all three points on Saturday.
A well-executed game plan saw the young Baggies get plenty of players behind the ball before striking clinically on the break.
Liverpool, for all their possession, struggled to create clear-cut opportunities and when they did arrive they were spurned.
The home side dominated the ball early on but could not find a way through to work opposition goalkeeper Joe Wallis.
Instead it was West Brom who took the lead with their first attack in minute 13, albeit in contentious circumstances. A Jayden Danns pass in midfield seemed to be broken up by an arm but the referee waved play on. A quick pass put Eseosa Sule in on goal and he drilled his effort past Harvey Davies.
Rio Ngumoha looked the Reds’ most likely route back into the game, offering a regular threat on the left wing, but the visitors were alive to the danger and doubled up on the 16-year-old almost every time he got the ball.
Indeed, there was half an hour on the clock before Liverpool were able to fashion a real chance, Kieran Morrison’s curling free-kick headed just wide by Wellity Lucky.
Brilliant skill from Ngumoha then created a chance for Trey Nyoni, but the midfielder blazed his strike well over the crossbar.
The Baggies then went further ahead through a quick breakaway with 39 minutes on the clock. A crossfield diagonal found Reyes Cleary and he cut inside Josh Davidson before scooping past Davies for a two-goal advantage.
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Liverpool appeared to have a great opportunity to reduce the deficit just two minutes later, when a fine turn from Danns saw him go down in the box, but the referee ruled the initial contact was outside and awarded only a free-kick.
The young striker dusted himself down to send a fine effort in on goal but Wallis saved well to maintain the West Brom cushion.
Liverpool hopes of a second-half comeback were diminished within two minutes of the restart. A ball from the left was picked up by Sule, who fired low past Davies for his second of the match and a three-goal lead.
Barry Lewtas’ side stirred, with Trent Kone-Doherty looking to spark a fightback. He met an Isaac Mabaya cutback with a low shot, but Wallis was in the right place to make a block – a feat he managed again 10 minutes later from another low strike from the young Irish winger.
Just before the hour mark Kone-Doherty tuned provider, pulling a great ball back to Danns in front of goal, whose instinctive effort was clawed away by Wallis.
Morrison went close twice and substitute Ranel Young had another effort saved after a clever back-heel from Davidson.
The visitors stretched their lead in the closing minutes, however, to give the game a one-sided scoreline it did not deserve.
Cleary volleyed in his second in the last minute of normal time, and Archie Kirton headed home a fifth for West Brom deep into five minutes of injury time to complete the scoring.
Team
Liverpool: Davies, Mabaya (Miles, 71), Davidson, Lucky (Pinnington, 83), Nallo, Pilling, Kone-Doherty, Nyoni (Kelly, 71), Morrison, Danns (Young, 60), Ngumoha.
Unused sub: Misciur.
Next up
Liverpool’s next assignment is a Premier League 2 trip to Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday (January 26). Kick-off at Lamex Stadium is 1pm GMT.
This article has been automatically translated and, while all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, some errors in translation are possible. Please refer to the original English-language version of the article for the official version.