Liverpool's U18s booked their passage into the knockout stages of the Al Kass International Cup with a 0-0 draw against Esperance Sportive of Tunisia on Tuesday.

Jerome Sinclair struck in the Reds' opening encounter of the tournament and came close to adding another in the first half, while Ryan Kent nearly found the target during the second period.

But they could find no way past their African-based opponents and the game finished goalless.

The result leaves Steve Cooper's side with four points from two games in Group B and guarantees the youngsters a quarter-final spot.

After the match, Cooper told Liverpoolfc.com: "It was tough game, because of the conditions and two games in two days. They were fresher than us - they were physical and athletic. The physical demands made it tough.

"But we were really pleased with the boys; they played with good style and created some really good chances. We looked really solid at the back - we played well.

"It was a different challenge - yesterday was more tactical, it was about who could break the deadlock. Today was more about resisting and letting our football take over. On another day, you take your chances.

"The competition is only going to get tougher. The stronger teams are going to get through. We've done okay but we know it's going to get tough and we need to play with even more focus. The lads are working really hard and playing positive football."

The quarter-finals get underway on Friday, with the final set to be held on Thursday, February 7. PSG were crowned the inaugural champions in 2012 after beating Juventus on penalties.

Final positions in the section will be decided on Wednesday, when Esperance face Aspire Qatar in the last group match. Depending on their eventual position, the Reds could meet one of three teams in the last eight.

Boca Juniors, Inter Milan and Yokohama are Liverpool's potential opponents at the next stage. They will definitely play at 7pm local time (4pm GMT) on Friday.

Stay logged on to Liverpoolfc.com for more details throughout the tournament, and follow the club's Arabic Twitter account - @LFC_Arabic - for regular updates.