LFC Youth Match Reports

Shamefully pinched from the Utd forum @StretfordEnd

I will try and stick to this week by week so people can keep up to date with how the kids are getting on.

LFC U23s 0-2 Everton U23s (4/3/19)

Liverpool U23s: Kelleher, Hoever (McAuley, 74), Lewis, Whelan, Johnston, Coyle (Gallacher, 66), Camacho, Randall, Woodburn, Christie-Davies, Jones.

Unused substitutes: Juanma, George, Masterson.

Nathan Broadhead’s double separated the sides in their Premier League 2 encounter, with Neil Critchley’s charges unable to turn their exertions into goals against the leaders.

That meant a first defeat in three-and-a-half months for the young Reds, who remain fifth in the division as a result.

LFC U18s 7-2 Blackburn U18s (2/3/19)

Liverpool U18s: Atherton, N. Williams (Raitanen, 56), Boyes, Brookwell, Savage, Ritaccio, Bearne (Clarkson, 88), Dixon-Bonner (Tagseth, 64), Cain, O’Rourke, Duncan

Unused substitutes: Jaros, R. Williams

The sequence of play that resulted in Piliukaitis’ opener began with a Liverpool corner, with Blackburn transitioning from defence to attack rapidly thanks to Jack Vale’s powerful run down the right.

Remi Savage ceded possession to Vale and the forward burst away before pulling back to his Lithuanian teammate, who slotted a first-time shot past Dan Atherton.

Atherton made a valuable, brave save at Vale’s feet soon after but, once they’d cleared their heads, Liverpool began to assert their authority.

And, by the 12th minute, Lewtas’ team were level courtesy of Duncan.

Jack Bearne’s quick feet in the box afforded him two attempts on goal that were blocked, but the No.10 was on hand to volley home the loose ball in emphatic fashion.

The tide had well and truly turned, with the equaliser only serving to accelerate Liverpool’s ascendancy.

Elijah Dixon-Bonner rattled the post from range and O’Rourke slid Cain’s cutback wide before the skipper made amends in impressive style.

Cain zipped a pass into O’Rourke’s feet and his excellent first touch preceded a dart away from his marker in the area and a rising, right-footed finish that found the roof of the net.

The hosts went close again before the half-hour mark when Cain’s attempt was deflected wide, but Blackburn made it to the break without sustaining further damage.

And, within three minutes of the restart, the visitors were level, when Saadi converted Luke Brennan’s cross from the right at the back post.

Duncan then fired over the crossbar having worked an opening for himself in the box before, at the other end, Atherton made a fine stop to prevent Samuel Durrant.

The game appeared to be heading for a finely-poised final quarter - until, that was, Liverpool buried their opponents in an avalanche of goals.

Duncan’s second of the afternoon arrived from the penalty spot after Morgan Boyes had been hauled down, and Cain made it 4-2 in the 68th minute when he collected Matteo Ritaccio’s pass and coolly side-footed into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Substitute Tagseth then got in on the act by intercepting James Connolly’s under-hit backpass and rounding goalkeeper Lewis Thomas before rolling in.

Soon after, Duncan reached his treble with a clinical right-footed finish after he’d been fed by strike partner O’Rourke, with the captain then rounding off the scoring in injury time

 

FA YouthCup Quarter Final Result

Bury 1 - 5 Liverpool

Liverpool: Jaros, Walls, R Williams, Boyes, Larouci, Clarkson (N Williams, 78), Sharif, Dixon-Bonner (Tagseth, 78), Cain, Duncan (O’Rourke, 87), Glatzel.

Unused substitutes: Kelly, Ritaccio.


Liverpool advanced to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals with an emphatic 5-1 win over Bury at Gigg Lane.

A home tie with Watford awaits the young Reds in the last four after Paul Glatzel’s 25th and 26th goals of a prolific season were supplemented by strikes by Jake Cain, Rhys Williams and Bobby Duncan to see off their quarter-final hosts on Wednesday night.

Fine link-up between Duncan and captain Glatzel manufactured the opener with 16 minutes on the clock, before Cain capitalised on a defensive error to make it 2-0 in the closing moments of the first half.

Glatzel’s second of the evening - a close-range header from Leighton Clarkson’s clipped cross - arrived early in the second period as Barry Lewtas’ free-scoring side threatened to pull away, but it was Bury who scored next through Joseph Adams’ excellent first-time finish.

Any chance of a comeback from the hosts was extinguished with 17 minutes remaining, though, when Williams found space in the area following a corner and fired in.

And Duncan’s late fifth, enabled by unselfish work by his strike partner Glatzel, ensured Liverpool marched on in ruthless fashion

With Gigg Lane’s well-worn playing surface a hindrance to fluent football, the early stages of the tie were scrappy and bitty.

A sign Liverpool were beginning to adjust to the testing conditions arrived nine minutes in, however, when Abdi Sharif dug out a cross from the right byline and Duncan attempted a spectacular bicycle kick that was blocked.

And, soon after, a glimpse of Duncan and Glatzel’s acute understanding brought about the first goal.

The former dropped deep to pick up possession, shimmied his way past two opponents and released the latter with an expertly-weighted through-ball.

Glatzel’s first touch simultaneously took his marker out of the equation and put him clean through on James Holden, and his second - an unerring low drive that passed through the Bury goalkeeper’s legs - put his team ahead

Holden was equal to Duncan’s snap-shot as the young Reds went in search of a quick second, but Sam Allardyce’s under-hit returned pass left his 'keeper stranded on the stroke of half-time.

Cain was the beneficiary of the defender’s mistake, the No.8 seizing the loose ball and slotting in to double Liverpool’s lead in the last meaningful action of the first period.

The visitors’ ever-growing dominance was further reflected on the scoreboard when Glatzel nodded in his sixth Youth Cup goal of the campaign in the opening minutes of the second half.

Bury were then given a glimmer of hope when their skipper Adams beat Vitezslav Jaros with a powerful, rising effort in the 66th minute, although Liverpool quickly re-established control and only an impressive save by Holden prevented Cain from doubling his tally.

But, from the resulting corner, Holden couldn’t prevent Williams’ deflected shot from finding the net.

Callum Hulme rattled Jaros’ crossbar with a superb free-kick as the home team sought an unlikely route back into the game, but Duncan would have the final say four minutes from time.

Glatzel eschewed the opportunity to complete his hat-trick as he bore down on Holden, instead selflessly squaring for the No.10 to roll his 25th goal of 2018-19 into an empty net and seal a last-four meeting with Watford.

 

Premier League 2

Derby u23 1-3 Liverpool u23

Liverpool U23s: Kelleher, Hoever, Juanma, Phillips (Whelan, 46), Johnston, Lewis (Masterson, 78), Camacho, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Christie-Davies, 40), Woodburn, Randall, Jones.

Unused substitutes: Atherton, McAuley

Curtis Jones scored twice as Liverpool U23s claimed an impressive 3-1 victory over Derby County in Premier League 2 on Friday afternoon.

The attacker netted once in each half, sandwiching a clinical finish by Rafael Camacho after half-time, as Neil Critchley’s side immediately bounced back from a loss against Everton earlier this week despite a last-minute concession.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain took the latest significant step in his rehabilitation from the knee ligament injury he suffered 11 months ago by playing 40 minutes for the young Reds at Derby Training Centre.

Critchley was also able to field Nathaniel Phillips – who completed the first half – in central defence for the first time since November on a positive afternoon all round for the U23s.

Derby made the more promising start to the encounter, with Jayden Mitchell-Lawson a particularly troublesome thorn in Liverpool’s left-hand side in the early exchanges.

But it was the visitors who made the breakthrough on 16 minutes.

It was an opportunistic goal by Jones, the Scouser sensing an advantage in a high press on Ethan Wassall, stealing the ball and running clear in a smooth motion to prod a neat finish to the right of the goalkeeper and inside the post.

The Reds No.11 almost made it two soon after.

Jones ran through to collect a flick-on into the right channel and carried the ball away from a recovering defender but, with the shooting angle narrowing with every yard, his low drive was repelled by Derby goalkeeper Henrich Ravas.

Adam Lewis went close with a long-range blast that whistled the wrong side of the right post, while Louie Sibley clipped a cross-shot off target after finding space at the other end.

Perhaps with a point to prove after Monday’s mini-derby defeat, Liverpool were attacking confidently and Ki-Jana Hoever’s excellent 39th-minute cross along the six-yard box agonisingly evaded his waiting teammates.

Derby once again took the initiative at the outset of the second half, pushing the Reds back in search of an equalising goal, but the away side soon made their quality count.

The clock showed 61 minutes when Ben Woodburn’s angled hit from the right corner of the area rolled to Jones at the back post and though his attempt to convert yards out was thwarted by Ravas, Camacho pounced on the loose ball to fire high into the net.

Hoever was fortunate to avoid an own goal when he scuffed a clearance inches wide of the post in preventing Sibley from an effort after more good approach work by Mitchell-Lawson.

But within moments, Liverpool put the game beyond their opponents.

A combination of technique and fortune created Jones’ second of the day. Connor Randall’s brilliant reverse pass freed Camacho inside the area and his delivery took two deflections en route to his fellow forward at the far post for a straightforward tap-in.

Caoimhin Kelleher had to deny the dangerous Mitchell-Lawson with an outstretched leg as the Derby man surged free into the box in the closing stages.

The Liverpool stopper was beaten when he dropped Sven Karic’s cross into his own goal in the last minute, but the young Reds had long done enough to secure a win that moved Critchley’s charges within a point of third-placed Derby in the Premier League 2 table

 

Liverpool u18s 1-3 Derby u18s (9/3/19)

Liverpool U18s: Atherton, N. Williams (Walls, 69), Larouci, R. Williams, Boyes, Ritaccio (Longstaff, 76), Sharif, Clarkson, O’Rourke (Glatzel, 64), Duncan, Dixon-Bonner.

Unused substitutes: Jaros, Cain.

Liverpool U18s were leapfrogged at the top of the table as a result of Derby County's 3-1 win in their U18 Premier League North meeting on Saturday.

The young Reds had rallied after falling behind to Jason Knight’s ninth-minute opener, with Bobby Duncan netting an equaliser early in the second half.

But a late double by Morgan Whittaker condemned Barry Lewtas’ side to a rare defeat and saw Derby overhaul Liverpool in the standings on goal difference.

“It was a frustrating day for us,” U18s boss Lewtas told Liverpoolfc.com. “We certainly weren’t at our best today but credit to the opposition, we knew they would be tough.

“I don’t think we matched them in certain areas that we needed to – Derby have got some good players and are well organised – but we got a better response just before half-time.

“We had good control of the game then and played some nice stuff but we have said to the players we have got to get better at putting the overall performance together, and that lasts for 90 minutes.

“As good as our win over Blackburn Rovers last week was, I thought it was a 65-minute performance, for me.

“We played some nice stuff in flashes today but the boys have got to realise it’s a 90-minute game. We created some good chances and their ‘keeper made some good saves.

“It’s a defeat and they will learn from it because when you play certain teams you can’t switch off in moments, it has got to be 90 minutes and those are the lessons to learn.”

Derby immediately got on the front foot in the game and could have opened the scoring within three minutes, but the unmarked Lee Buchanan directed his header from inside the box wide.

The home side did produce a breakthrough soon after, though.

Tyree Wilson’s pace took him past Liverpool right-back Neco Williams on the wing and his assist into the area found Knight, who took advantage of space to coolly control the ball and drive it low into Dan Atherton’s net.

Fidel O’Rourke, captaining Lewtas’ charges, went close to a rapid response but saw his chipped effort from Abdi Sharif’s ball over the top saved well by Sam French.

It was a sign of things to come, with Derby’s last line of defence offering stubborn resistance to the Reds’ eager search for an equaliser.

After Knight squandered the chance to convert a second goal from a misplaced clearance, French thwarted the visitors in a succession of opportunities.

The Derby stopper kept out Sharif’s hit from distance and later attempt from a set-piece, having palmed over Leighton Clarkson’s 30-yard free-kick in between times, to preserve the hosts’ lead at the interval.

But a leveller was coming – and it arrived three minutes into the second half.

Sharif’s defence-splitting pass freed Neco Williams on the right flank and the defender’s pinpoint cross set up centre-forward Duncan to claim his 26th goal of the season.

With the knowledge that victory would double their points advantage over Derby in U18 Premier League North, the young Reds pressed to complete a turnaround.

And only another outstanding stop by French denied them a minute before the hour mark, Elijah Dixon-Bonner’s strike from Yasser Larouci’s pull-back thwarted.

Lewtas called for Paul Glatzel and the reformation of his lethal partnership alongside Duncan with a quarter of the match remaining, and the pair soon combined to release Clarkson, whose ambitions were halted by a last-ditch tackle.

But, instead, Derby moved up a gear in the closing stages and a quickfire double deflated Liverpool.

The respite brought by Atherton’s brilliant save to deny Callum Minkley at close range was cruelly brief – two minutes later, Whittaker fired a finish beyond the goalkeeper when a set-piece was uncleared.

And the Derby No.7 increased his side’s advantage with 77 on the clock, a free-kick from the edge of the area sent through the wall and home for 3-1.

French added further salt to the wounds by pushing Clarkson’s curler from a set-piece against the post and away, ensuring the home side claimed victory and leadership of the division with a game in hand.

Lewtas added: “Part of football is losing as well and the boys sometimes have to understand what that’s like and they have to bounce back.

“We don’t like to lose and we never want to lose but what I would say overall is, I don’t think we can look at ourselves in the mirror as a group and say we deserved to win.

“I’m not saying we were poor but we came up against a good team and if you are not at your best and you let yourself down at certain moments, especially the set-pieces, you’ll get punished.

“It’s a learning experience and we will bounce back.”

 

LFC U18s 1-1 Dinamo Zagreb U18s (12/3/19)

Liverpool U19s: Jaros (Atherton), N. Williams, Lewis, R. Williams, Boyes, Coyle, Sharif, Cain (Clarkson), Jones, Glatzel, Duncan.

Liverpool U19s were eliminated from the UEFA Youth League at the last-16 stage after a penalty shootout defeat by Dinamo Zagreb, following a 1-1 draw in the Croatian capital on Tuesday.

In a hard-fought encounter at the Stadion Hitrec-Kacijan, Barry Lewtas’ charges lost goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros to injury at half-time yet took the lead through Bobby Duncan shortly after the break.

However, Dinamo levelled with just over 20 minutes to play and then prevailed 4-3 on spot-kicks when their goalkeeper, Dinko Horkas, saved from both Liam Coyle and Duncan.

The young Reds had qualified for the last 16 via the Champions League path, topping Group C ahead of Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli and Red Star Belgrade.

Dinamo, meanwhile, had instead progressed along the Domestic Champions path, getting the better of Viitorul Constanta, Astana and Lokomotiv Moscow to reach this stage.

Lewtas named a strong line-up featuring five tournament ever-presents and spearheaded by prolific pairing Paul Glatzel and Duncan.

Dinamo had the first meaningful opportunity in the fifth minute, Antonio Marin’s cross volleyed wide of the left-hand post by Leon Sipos.

Marin had a go himself 10 minutes later, his low drive parried by Jaros.

Igor Jovicevic’s side threatened again in first-half stoppage-time when Bartol Franjic charged into the box and blasted in a shot from a tight angle that Jaros saved well with his feet.

Having recorded more attempts on goal than any other team in the tournament up until this stage, Liverpool unusually reached half-time without mustering one in the Croatian capital, despite shading the possession stats.

And Lewtas was then forced into an unplanned change at the break, sending Dan Atherton on for his Youth League debut in place of Jaros.

The visitors immediately posed a greater threat when play resumed, Duncan collecting a flick from Jake Cain and firing a half-volley which Filip Antovski dived in to block.

Dinamo soon countered – Atherton’s first involvement an impressive save from Marijo Cuze – but then in the 53rd minute came the opening goal and a perfect demonstration of what has made the Glatzel-Duncan partnership so special this season.

Glatzel gathered a throw-in out on the right flank and showed speed, skill and strength to beat several men, make it to the byline and send in a low cross that Duncan tapped in at the back post. It was the 17-year-old’s second goal of the tournament in only his third start.

Cain almost doubled the young Reds’ lead in the 66th minute but Horkas palmed the midfielder’s rasping effort from distance round the post, and less than a minute later Dinamo were level. The effervescent Marin jinked into space down the left and his cutback was lashed into the roof of Atherton’s net by Sipos.

The Croats squandered a glaring opportunity to take the lead with 15 minutes left when another inviting low ball was delivered from the left but both Sipos and substitute Roko Baturina let it trickle over their toes and out of play.

Horkas got his hands to Adam Lewis’ cross to snuff out a promising attack – and so the tie ended 1-1 and went straight to a penalty shootout.

Both sides successfully converted their first penalties but it was 2-1 Dinamo when Coyle’s attempt was turned away by Horkas.

Atherton then dived to his right to make an excellent save from Marin and when Curtis Jones slotted in his spot-kick Liverpool were level.

Baturina and Cuze both subsequently netted, as did Glatzel, leaving Duncan with the responsibility of taking it to sudden death, but his attempt was slapped away from the corner by the outstanding Horkas, ensuring a cruel end to this season’s European adventure for Lewtas and his players.

 

LFC U18s 2-1 Watford U18s (17/3/19)

Liverpool: Ashby-Hammond, N. Williams, Larouci, R. Williams, Boyes, Clarkson, Sharif, Cain, Glatzel, Duncan, Dixon-Bonner (Longstaff, 70).

Paul Glatzel scored a brace in front of the Kop as Liverpool booked their place in the FA Youth Cup final with a 2-1 win over Watford at Anfield.

The young Reds' captain twice capitalised on excellent work by strike partner Bobby Duncan in the opening 25 minutes to send his side to the showpiece of the tournament for the first time since 2009.

Ryan Cassidy pulled one back late on for Watford, but Barry Lewtas' side held on and will now face either Manchester City or West Bromwich Albion, who contest the other last-four tie on Monday April 1.

Lewtas made four changes to the U19s team that was elimiated from the UEFA Youth League in midweek, with Luca Ashby-Hammond replacing injured goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros, and Yasser Larouci, Leighton Clarkson and Elijah Dixon-Bonner returning after helping see off Bury in the Youth Cup quarter-final.

Kicking towards the Kop, Liverpool started well in the Merseyside sunshine as they prodded and probed Watford's defence, but it was the visitors who mustered the first shot on target when Sonny Blu Lo-Everton brought a routine save from Ashby-Hammond with a long-range effort.

But on their big day at Anfield, the young Reds responded immediately with a burst of pressure and only a last-ditch block in the box denied an early opener for the prolific Glatzel.

The skipper's first goal of the afternoon arrived soon after, though, when he was on hand to finish off from Duncan's marauding run in the 10th minute.

Liverpool's Scouse No.10 got the better of centre-back Harry Hudson as he chased a long ball and then appeared to be felled as he rounded goalkeeper Dante Baptiste.

No decision needed to be made by the referee, however, as Glatzel was there to pounce on the loose ball and finish on the slide from three yards out.

The hosts were now exerting a measure of control and Neco Williams drew a gasp from the crowd when his long-range drive flashed wide of the post.

It seemed only a matter of time before Liverpool doubled their lead - and Glatzel duly obliged with 25 minutes on the clock with his 28th goal of the season.

Midfielder Clarkson launched the attack by racing down the left flank and Jake Cain caused chaos when he rounded the goalkeeper out wide and crossed to Duncan, who saw two efforts cleared off the line before Glatzel bundled the ball into the back of the net.

Duncan staked his claim that the ball had already crossed the line before his captain made sure, but could have got his name on the scoresheet for certain minutes later when he placed a side-footed shot just the wrong side of the post.

The Hornets rallied towards the end of the half and squandered a good chance to cut the deficit moments after the break when Cassidy found space in the area but screwed his shot wide of the far post.

Once again, Liverpool found an instant response and only a point-blank save from Baptiste denied Glatzel from heading in his hat-trick goal at the end of a flowing move.

The young Reds maintained their dominance and produced a flurry of chances as the game passed the hour mark.

Larouci carried the ball to the edge of the box and passed up the opportunity to shoot to square the ball to Duncan, who curled an effort narrowly wide.

Baptiste denied Glatzel and then Duncan in a one-on-one to keep his side in the game before Larouci popped up again and this time thundered a blistering shot onto the crossbar.

More opportunities came and went for Glatzel and Duncan, but Baptiste in the Watford goal continued to make his case for Man of the Match.

Then, with 10 minutes to go, the visitors got the goal their battling endeavour deserved when captain Cassidy fired into the roof of the net at the Kop end.

A few nervy minutes ensued as Baptiste pulled out yet another save, this time to deny Abdi Sharif from the angle, in the closing stages but the young Reds held firm to secure a deserved win.

 

Premier League 2 - 6/4/19
LFC U23 3-2 Chelsea U23

Liverpool U23s: Kelleher, Whelan, Gallacher, Hoever (Masterson, 79), Johnston, Coyle, Woodburn, Sharif, McAuley, Lewis (Bearne, 79), Jones.

Unused substitutes: George, Juanma

Curtis Jones scored a superb 86th-minute winner as Liverpool U23s came from two goals down to beat Chelsea 3-2 on Saturday.



Goals from Ben Woodburn and Abdi Sharif drew the young Reds level after Conor Gallagher's two first-half finishes had put the visitors 2-0 up at the Academy.

And a brilliant effort from Jones then secured all three points in dramatic fashion.

Neil Critchley's side were caught off guard and fell behind inside three minutes, with Gallagher tapping in Tariq Lamptey's cross from the right.

Caoimhin Kelleher then saved twice - from Tariq Uwakwe and Joseph Colley - to stop Chelsea from adding to their lead in the ninth minute.

The dominance from the visitors continued. The Blues continued to find joy down Liverpool's left side and doubled their advantage with 28 minutes on the clock when Gallagher was on hand again to convert Lamptey's pass from the flank.

But the hosts' response to the second blow was positive, and they received a lifeline in the 40th minute when Jones was fouled inside the box by Colley.

Woodburn took responsibility from the resulting spot-kick, sending Karlo Ziger the wrong way to give Liverpool hope at half-time.


Liverpool continued to carry the momentum after the interval and earned their deserved equaliser five minutes into the second half.

After good hold-up play from Glen McAuley, Woodburn peeled off to the right and then found Sharif arriving at the back post for his first goal at U23 level.

Jack Bearne, the match-winner in the U18s' win at Everton last weekend, then came on to make his U23s debut and had an instant impact, providing the assist for Jones' winner.

Jones received possession from Bearne, turning and then beating numerous Chelsea players before unleashing a thumping effort beyond Ziger to complete the turnaround

 

U18 Prem - 3/4/19
WBA U18s 3-3 LFC U18s

Liverpool U18s: Atherton, N. Williams, Savage (Larouci, 45), R. Williams, Brookwell, Ritaccio, Sharif, Bearne (Dixon-Bonner, 67), O'Rourke, Duncan, Longstaff (Boyes, 63).

Unused substitutes: Winterbottom, Walls

Yasser Larouci scored a 90th-minute equaliser as Liverpool U18s drew 3-3 at West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday afternoon.



The substitute netted to earn Barry Lewtas' side a result that leaves them two points adrift of leaders Derby County in U18s Premier League North.

Liverpool went 2-0 up after 14 minutes courtesy of goals from Fidel O'Rourke and Bobby Duncan before West Brom staged a fightback.

Stanley Asomugha quickly pulled one back for the hosts and Harry Williams then struck to square the game.

Larouci was introduced after the half-time break, but Louie Barry scored to put West Brom 3-2 ahead with 58 minutes on the clock.

The young Reds pushed hard for a leveller and their efforts were rewarded right at the end when Larouci cut in from the left-hand side and fired home.

U18 Prem - 6/4/19
LFC U18s 2-1 Wolves U18s

Liverpool U18s: Atherton, N. Williams (Walls, 89), Larouci, R. Williams, Boyes, Raitanen, Cain (Ritaccio, 90), Clarkson, O'Rourke (Longstaff, 51), Duncan, Dixon-Bonner.

Unused substitutes: Winterbottom, Brookwell.

Liverpool U18s produced a brilliant second-half performance to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 at the Academy on Saturday.

Goals from Jake Cain and Bobby Duncan were enough to keep the young Reds' U18s Premier League North title hopes alive.

Cain opened the scoring with a superb curling effort in the 53rd minute before Duncan lobbed in his 29th goal of the season. Taylor Perry then scored what proved to be a late consolation for Wolves.

Barry Lewtas' side remain two points adrift of leaders Derby County in the league table, although the Rams do possess a game in hand.

After a number of early half-chances for either side, the first clear-cut opportunity fell to the hosts 24 minutes in after they seized the initiative.

Cain was at the centre of Liverpool's attacking output and received a cross on the edge of Wolves' penalty area. However, the midfielder didn't strike the ball cleanly enough to beat goalkeeper Jackson Smith.

The spell of Liverpool pressure continued following the half-time break and their efforts were rewarded eight minutes after the restart.

Cain was once again in a threatening area and picked up the ball on the right-hand side of Wolves' 18-yard box.

The 17-year-old opened up his body before unleashing a side-footed shot into the far left corner for his third goal of the season.

Rather than sit on their lead, Liverpool pushed hard for a second - and got it four minutes from time.

Duncan latched on to Rhys Williams' perfectly-executed long-range pass before lifting the ball over the advancing Smith in the Wolves goal.

Duncan's finish proved to be vital as Perry netted in the 89th minute to set up a tense finish.

The U18s will now travel to the United States to play in the prestigious Dallas Cup before returning to conclude their league campaign and play in the FA Youth Cup final.

 

Premier League 2 - 14/4/19
Leicester U23s 0-6 LFC U23s

Liverpool U23s: George, Gomez (Masterson, 60), Lewis, Hoever, Johnston, Coyle, Camacho, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Christie-Davies, 45), Brewster (Gallacher, 75), Woodburn, Jones.

Substitutes: Atherton, McAuley.

Rafael Camacho scored a second-half hat-trick as Liverpool U23s beat Leicester City 6-0 at the King Power Stadium on Sunday to climb up to third in the Premier League 2 table.

The Portuguese youngster hit a thundering effort into the roof of the net just after the break, poached one on the line and completed the scoring with an assured finish into the bottom corner with nine minutes to go.

Rhian Brewster, making his first competitive appearance since January 2018, opened the scoring after just five minutes and then won a penalty for Ben Woodburn to dispatch and double the lead on 16 minutes.

Curtis Jones made it 3-0 before the half-hour mark, firing into the bottom corner after a mazy run to put the Reds in complete control on a day when Joe Gomez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain both started for the U23s as they continued their rehabilitation from long-term injuries.

Gomez made his first appearance since fracturing his leg in the senior side's 3-1 win at Burnley in December and was a key figure at both ends of the pitch before being substituted with around an hour gone.



Starting on the right of defence, the England international enjoyed plenty of early touches as the Reds probed down that flank and it was his pass that eventually led to an early penalty shout.

With just two minutes on the clock, Brewster took a tumble in the box, but the referee waved away the visitors' appeals.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who featured for the young Reds at the beginning of March, started the match as he stepped up his recovery from a knee ligament injury and set up the opening goal, before eventually going off at half-time.

The England international's long-range drive after five minutes was parried by Leicester goalkeeper Tobias Victor Johansson and Brewster was on hand to tuck away the rebound.

The home side sought an immediate response and shortly after Layton Ndukwu had fired high and wide from the edge of the box, Reds 'keeper Shamal George had to be on full alert to shovel an in-swinging corner out from under his crossbar.

However, Liverpool quickly regained control at the King Power and doubled their lead from the penalty spot with just over a quarter of an hour gone.

The effervescent Brewster took a high boot from defender Luke Thomas as he stooped to head Jones' wonderfully lofted cross from the left - and Woodburn made no mistake from the spot.



Jones made it 3-0 on 27 minutes after some robust work in midfield saw Woodburn launch a counter-attack. The LFC No.11 took possession and twisted and turned his way into the box before firing low through the legs of Foxes skipper Sam Hughes and into the bottom corner.

Liverpool continued to pile the pressure on their hosts, with Oxlade-Chamberlain driving at the defence with a trademark run and Gomez galloping forward on the overlap to tee up Camacho, who dragged a low shot wide of the far post.

Gomez was at it again moments before the break, bringing the ball out of defence before playing an inch-perfect, defence-splitting diagonal pass for Jones. But on this occasion, the Foxes 'keeper was equal to the forward's low shot.

Liverpool continued where they left off after the break as Camacho blazed a finish into the roof of the net on 50 minutes to make it 4-0.

But despite the comfortable lead, the Reds had to remain alert at the back and Gomez took a break from his attacking forays to make a last-ditch tackle on Lamine Keba Sherif to deny a clear goalscoring opportunity for the hosts.



Brewster thought he had got his second of the match on the hour mark as he rounded the 'keeper and fired off a shot at goal. But with a Foxes defender closing on the ball, Camacho made sure, poking it in on the goalline.

Now searching for his hat-trick, Camacho seemed an almost constant threat and was inches away from grabbing his third when he struck the outside of the post.

A last-ditch block denied the 18-year-old a goal moments later and when Leicester rallied and forced George into a brilliant low save late to preserve his clean sheet, it looked like the chance had gone for Camacho.

However, with nine minutes left to play, the LFC No.7 took possession on the edge of the box and fired a low finish past Johansson to complete his hat-trick and the scoring for Liverpool.

 

25/4/19 FA Youth Cup Final
Man City U18s 1-1 LFC U18s
(Liverpool win 5-3 on pens)

Liverpool U18s: Jaros, N. Williams, Larouci, R. Williams, Boyes, Clarkson (Longstaff, 78), Sharif, Cain (Bearne, 101), Glatzel, Duncan, Dixon-Bonner.

Unused substitutes: O’Rourke, Kelly, Savage

Liverpool U18s clinched the club's first FA Youth Cup triumph for 12 years with a 5-3 penalty shootout win over Manchester City in Thursday's final.

The teams were locked at 1-1 after 120 minutes of absorbing play at the Academy Stadium.

Nabil Touaizi found the net in first-half stoppage-time and the strike seemed likely to separate the sides until Bobby Duncan’s long-range swerver went through the grasp of City goalkeeper Louie Moulden with 86 on the clock.

And Barry Lewtas’ Reds secured the prestigious trophy via spot-kicks as the captain, Paul Glatzel, converted a fifth consecutive successful penalty.


The hosts were assertive from the off and threatened an opener within 60 seconds but Vitezslav Jaros produced an alert save to deny Touaizi’s knock at goal after Adrian Bernabe’s inviting pull-back from the left.

Liverpool began to settle, though, and Yasser Larouci’s boldness was almost rewarded with a breakthrough 10 minutes into the tie.

The full-back adeptly dribbled past two opponents from the halfway line and, finding himself in a central position, let fly with a strike that deflected off Taylor Harwood-Bellis and forced a reaction tip over the crossbar by Moulden.



Next, Jake Cain had the Reds’ best chance of the half.

A misplaced pass out by Moulden allowed Cain to pounce at the edge of the area but the midfielder’s attempt to thread a low drive back into the net was cleared off the goalline.

From there, City took charge of proceedings without truly threatening Jaros and the Liverpool net – at least until their pressure told shortly before the interval.

Tommy Doyle latched onto the completion of a one-two with Felix Nmecha to sneak into the box but Leighton Clarkson’s attentions forced him wide and the eventual strike drifted off target.

There was no such mercy from Touaizi in the first minute of added time, however; another Bernabe left-wing delivery eluded Rhys Williams and the City forward dispatched a cool finish between the near post and Jaros for 1-0.



The home team seemed likely to continue their control in the early stages of the second half but Liverpool’s attitude turned the tide as the clock reached an hour.

Abdi Sharif twice drew saves from Moulden with long-range hits and only a perfectly-timed lunge by Harwood-Bellis thwarted Glatzel when the Reds captain aimed his sights at close range.

Jaros carefully palmed away Ben Knight’s swerving, 20-yard left-footer heading into the final quarter-hour, before Clarkson was forced off due to injury and Luis Longstaff replaced him.

The impressive Larouci curled another decent effort wide of the left post as Liverpool continued to press for a leveller, while Morgan Boyes and then Rhys Williams had to block successive dangerous hits by Knight.

And the visitors’ resolve paid dividends four minutes before full-time.

Duncan capitalised on a pocket of space centrally to turn and dispatch a blast that moved in the air en route to goal and deceived Moulden, who could not prevent it from reaching the net.


Bobby Duncan's long-range equaliser.
A cagey additional 30 minutes of extra-time followed, Duncan having an angled effort blocked in the box by Harwood-Bellis and City’s penalty claims for a handball against Neco Williams rejected by the referee.

So, it went to a shootout in which Liverpool were perfect: Neco Williams, Elijah Dixon-Bonner, Sharif, Jack Bearne and Glatzel all scored to seal an historic 5-3 victory and FA Youth Cup glory.