Young Reds run riot in the rain
Liverpool's U17s narrowly missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the premier Milk Cup, despite putting on a show in the pouring rain and thrashing Newcastle 4-2 on Wednesday night.
The result means Mike Garrity's side finished 5th in the overall premier qualifying table with two wins and a loss, and they will now compete against Corinthians, Club America de Mexico and Newcastle for the NIMC Globe.
On the night, however, Liverpool produced some truly outstanding football - and rocked Newcastle with a handful of spectacular goals.
The Magpies took the lead in the game through Adam Armstrong, who spun away from his marker in the Reds' penalty area and thrashed the ball past Andrew Firth for 1-0.
Liverpool's response was ruthless. Within three minutes they had worked the play through their midfield anchor, Pedro Chirivella, and out onto the wing, where Harry Wilson trapped the ball, darted inside and sent a wonderful, curling effort beyond the Newcastle 'keeper.
The Welsh winger then turned provider for Liverpool's second, as he floated a pin-point corner into the penalty area for Daniel Cleary to head home.
Newcastle trooped back to the centre-circle to restart the game, but in no time they had surrendered possession and Ryan Kent seized the initiative, scooping the ball up, surging through the middle and zipping it across the wet surface into the bottom corner of the Newcastle net.
The rain continued to tumble and Garrity's side staged wave after wave of attack, rolling the ball across the deck, pinging it out to the flanks.
On 27 minutes, Chirivella spotted Wilson's burst in behind the Newcastle back-line and dinked a sumptuous pass over the top. Wilson, with his back to goal, spun in the air to meet it at chest-height with an acrobatic volley, and send the ball flying into the roof of the net.
The Reds were jarred slightly when Joe Kerridge pulled one back for the young Magpies on the stroke of half-time after some neat play through the middle of the park, but after that the Toon failed to threaten Firth's goal.
In the second half, the Reds were dominant. Shei Ojo and Alex O'Hanlon impressed going forward, and the defence was much more assured as they ran-out 4-2 winners.
They will now face Corinthians at Scroggy Road in Limavady tomorrow.