Youth Team/Cup

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Apparently we also have an Under-23s game tonight vs. Manchester City. Team is:

 

George; Juanma, Whelan, Johnston, Larouci, Randall, Coyle, Sharif, Lewis, Glatzel, McAuley.

Subs: McKenzie-Lyle, R. Williams, Longstaff, Duncan.

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It finished 1-1, George Johnston with an eighty-fifth minute equaliser. More to follow.

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Match report: Johnston hits late leveller as U23s draw with Man City

Captain George Johnston scored a late equaliser as Liverpool U23s fought back to secure a 1-1 draw against Manchester City in their Premier League 2 clash at the Academy on Monday night, writes Dominic Raynor. Trailing to Taylor Richards’ second-half opener, Reds centre-back Johnston stole in behind the visitor’s defence to deftly flick Adam Lewis’ long pass over the advancing City goalkeeper. The 83rd minute strike secured a fourth 1-1 draw on the bounce for the young Reds in the league.

Neil Critchley’s men had beaten Swansea City 2-0 in the Premier League International Cup in their last outing, but a series of senior call ups and a flurry of departures at the end of the January transfer window saw the manager make seven changes to his side. That included a debut for Liverpool-born striker Paul Glatzel, who has scored 21 times for the U18s this season. And he had a chance to open his account for the U23s midway through the first-half here; the talented forward stole in to intercept a back-pass bound for City goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw, but with the stopper rounded and stranded outside his box, he lofted a 25-yard shot over the bar.

It was as close as the Reds came to breaking the deadlock during a first-half in which Manchester City enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, with a resolute Liverpool looking to hit the visitors on the counter-attack. For all of City’s prodding and probing, a series of robust tackles from Johnston on the edge of the box and a wonderful last-ditch sliding interception from Connor Randall denied the visitors when they threatened to break the lines. Reds keeper Shamal George was called into action to turn a low shot from City No.10 Adrian Bernabe round the foot of his post and deal with a potentially dangerous freekick from Tom Dele Bashiru just before the break, but they were relatively routine saves.

After another bright start from City, it was debutant Glatzel who mustered Liverpool’s first shot of the second-half as he bustled into the box from the right and stung the hands of Grimshaw with a rising drive from the angle.

The 17-year-old combined well strike partner Glen McAuley when the Reds did threaten on the counter and was two offside flags away from having a pair of assists, with McAuley having two strikes ruled out either side of half-time.

When the breakthrough did come, it arrived via the boot of City forward Taylor. With an hour gone, the No.9 finished low under George from inside the box to capitalise on the visitors mounting pressure. The Reds, however, were far from finished.

Luis Longstaff and Bobby Duncan came off the bench to replace Liam Coyle and Juanma as the Reds switched from a wing-back formation to a 4-4-2 diamond and pushed forward looking for the leveller. With less than ten minutes to go, it arrived. Yasser Larouci and Lewis exchanged passes from a free-kick inside Liverpool’s own half before the latter delivered his pin-point pass for Johnston to brilliantly steer home.

Substitute Duncan had a sniff of a winner in the dying seconds, but couldn’t quite generate enough power as he pounced on a half-chance on the turn. 

 

Liverpool U23s: George, Randall, Juanma (Duncan, 76), Whelan, Johnston, Coyle (Longstaff, 71), Glatzel, Sharif, McAuley, Lewis, Larouci.

Unused substitute: McKenzie-Lyle, Williams.

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/academy/336659-match-report-liverpool-u23s-manchester-city

 

 

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Match report: U23s held by Burnley in PL Cup

 

Liverpool U23s played out a goalless draw with Burnley in the group stage of the Premier League Cup at Bamber Bridge FC on Friday afternoon, writes a frost-bitten Steve Hunter.

The result means Neil Critchley’s side must win their final game away at Bournemouth if they are to stand a chance of qualifying for the last 16 of the competition.

This was the Reds’ fourth successive draw in the tournament and although they remain bottom of Group C, a victory on the south coast could still secure one of the two qualifying spots. It was a tough, physical encounter played in a swirling, gale-force wind at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium and overall a draw was a fair result against a Burnley side managed by former England star Steve Stone.

Rhys Williams and Connor Randall both went close for the Reds with headers and Caoimhin Kelleher also showed his qualities with a couple of fine stops to deny the Clarets.

Critchley fielded a young side with U18s players Bobby Duncan, Abdi Sharif and Williams handed starting berths. Liverpool made a bright start and carved out a decent opening in the first minute of the game. Duncan was fouled 20 yards out, but from the resulting free-kick Adam Lewis saw his effort blocked by the wall. Two minutes later, another Lewis free-kick from the right found George Johnston at the back post. His header was initially blocked and Williams’ follow-up was brilliantly kept out by Adam Legzdins.

A fine pass from Yasser Larouci then sent Sharif scampering into space down the left. The Scouse midfielder cut inside and fed a fine ball to the far stick for the lurking Duncan, who, under pressure, saw his first-time effort well held by the goalkeeper.

Burnley threatened just before the half-hour mark when ex-Red Marley Blair burst past Williams but as he bore down on goal, the winger elected to shoot early and the ball bobbled harmlessly wide. Next, Sharif found himself in space down the left and drove into the penalty area, though he couldn’t pick out the well-placed Duncan in the six-yard box and the home side cleared the danger.

Three minutes before the break, another dangerous delivery from the left by Lewis was scrambled away by Burnley, then straight up the other end a penetrating run from Blair saw him cut inside and fire a deflected effort narrowly off target.

Blair again caused problems against his former side when he beat Randall and pulled the ball back for the unmarked Dan Agyei, who could only send his close-range attempt wide, and he then had his own strike stopped by Kelleher.

The Liverpool ‘keeper had to show his qualities once more on 65 minutes when he repelled a Rob Harker effort with his legs after Liam Coyle had lost possession just outside the box. Two minutes from time, Critchley’s charges came close to a breakthrough – Randall’s header from a well-worked corner was superbly kept out by Legzdins. From the resulting corner Williams headed back across goal but the home defence cleared the ball away to safety before Glen McAuley or Duncan could pounce.

 

Liverpool U23s: Kelleher, Randall, Juanma, R. Williams, Johnston, Coyle (Glatzel, 76), Duncan, Sharif, McAuley, Lewis, Larouci (Longstaff, 76).

Unused substitutes: McKenzie-Lyle, Dixon-Bonner.

 

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/academy/337265-match-report-liverpool-u23s-burnley

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Under-18s vs. MUFC (11 a.m., Carrington, LFCTV and others) :

 

B. Williams; Walls,  Savage, Brookwell, Boyes, Dixon-Bonner, Clarkson, Cain, Longstaff, O'Rourke, Glatzel.

 

Subs : Jaros, Raitanen, Ritaccio, Bearne, Turner.

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1-0 to us, cross by Walls turned into his own net by Bernard.

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Halftime 1-0

Scruffy game not helped by the gale-force winds blowing across the pitch. Whichever team does a better job of keeping the ball down will dictate the final result.

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Brookwell sent off for his second yellow card. That makes six straight games with a sending-off against this opponent. Still half an hour to play.

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Substitute: Raitanen on for O’Rourke

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Ritaccio on for Longstaff.

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Bearne on for Dixon-Bonner 

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Second yellow card for Bernard (dissent). Now 10 a side.

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1-1

Elanga squeezes a shot into the far corner.

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Almost straight from the resulting kickoff, we attack, and Ritaccio hits the bar in front of an open goal. 

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Greenwood shot is on target, but Savage blocks it into the arms of Ben Williams.

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Full time 1-1 

Frustrating result that leaves us still trailing Everton at the top of the table on goal difference.

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Youth Cup tie vs. Wigan (7 p.m., Chester, LFCTV)

 

Jaros; Walls, Larouci, R. Williams, Boyes, Cain, Clarkson, Sharif, Longstaff, Duncan, Glatzel

Subs : Kelly, Savage, Dixon-Bonner, Bearne, O'Rourke

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1-0 Glatzel 

The German goal machine runs onto a Longstaff through ball and lashes it home from just inside the box.

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2-0 Duncan

Glatzel finds his strike partner 15 yards out, and he makes no mistake with his right foot.

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Wigan have the ball in the net, but the ref has already blown for a foul. Looks generous to me.

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Halftime 2-0

 

It’s been a closer contest since we went two goals up, and we’ll do well to get the next goal. We’ve had chances, and might have got a penalty if Jack Walls had gone down when he was pushed in the box, but so have Wigan.

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15 minutes left, still 2-0

Wigan had the best of the first 20 minutes of the second half, but lost the initiative when they took off a midfielder for another forward.

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First sub: Longstaff off, Dixon-Bonner on.

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Dixon-Bonner curls one just wide from 15 yards.

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Bearne on for Clarkson, who got a knock on the ankle.