Well done to the lads today. Another good win.
Young Reds silence the Rams
Rodolfo Borrell's U18s continued their impressive start to the season as they came from behind to beat Derby County 3-2 in a five-goal thriller at the Academy on Saturday.
After making an impressive first start for the reserves at Newcastle on Tuesday and scoring on his debut for England U19s last week, Michael Ngoo led the line alongside Hungarian Krisztian Adorjan.
Former Swindon Town stopper Jamie Stephens started in goal while exciting youngsters Raheem Sterling and Toni Silva also featured.
The young Rams started brightly and were in front after 12 minutes through an unstoppable 25-yard strike from Alex Witham that gave Stephens no chance.
Four minutes later the Reds had a great chance to equalise. Adorjan's superb defence splitting pass sent Silva clear, but after rounding goalkeeper Mats Morch, from a tight angle his effort only found the side netting.
Sterling was causing the Derby County defence all sorts of problems down the left wing and one run saw him beat four players before being hacked down just outside the box.
The former QPR starlet had a wonderful chance after 26 minutes. Again Adorjan was the instigator with a perfectly placed through ball to send him clear. Unfortunately the U18s' No.7 took a heavy touch and Morch produced an excellent point blank save at his feet.
A strong run from left-back Brad Smith took him to the edge of the box, and his fierce low cross was just missed by the lurking Ngoo.
However, the pressure finally told and Borrell's side got a deserved equaliser 10 minutes from the break.
It owed much to superb play from Ngoo who chased down a loose ball down the right, won it and crossed for Silva to slot home into an empty net.
The visitors also had their moments and were dangerous on the counter-attack, but the game then changed just before half-time.
In first-half stoppage time skipper Conor Coady let fly with a stinging 25-yard blast but Morch was equal to it as he palmed the ball over the bar.
From the resulting corner Matthew Regan climbed high to make it 2-1. The Derby players tried to protest the ball didn't cross the line but the referee had a perfect view of it and the goal was given.
Indeed the protests were led too far and Derby were reduced to 10 men when Aaron Cole was sent off for disputing the goal.
It then almost became 3-1 in stoppage time when Sterling weaved his way past a couple of defenders before his curled effort was well saved by Morch.
Borrell's side started the second half intent on adding more goals to their tally and it became 3-1 on 51 minutes when Adorjan netted with a superb left footed strike beyond the reach of Morch.
Silva should have made it 4-1 after a lovely pass from Ngoo but his effort was tipped behind for a corner.
To their credit the 10 men of Derby battled on and got back into the game with a gift after 68 minutes. Stephens sliced his clearance straight to the Rams No.9 Callum Ball, who couldn't believe his luck as he rounded the 'keeper and slotted into the empty net.
Despite conceding a bad goal the away side never came close to an equaliser in the final stages of the game and Ngoo was unlucky not to make it 4-2 after a great run, but was denied at point blank range by Morch.
Liverpool U18s: Jamie Stephens, Matthew McGiveron, Brad Smith, Stephen Sama, Matthew Regan, Conor Coady, Raheem Sterling, Craig Roddan, Michael Ngoo, Krisztian Adorjan (Josh Sumner 70), Toni Brito E Silva (Tom Walsh 84). Unused subs: Peter Aylmer, Tyrell Belford, Adam Morgan.
Logged
