AcademyU18s match report: Liverpool 3-5 Sunderland
Liverpool U18s fell to a late, drama-filled 5-3 defeat by Sunderland at the Kirkby Academy on Saturday.
The young Reds began the U18 Premier League North clash on the front foot, working several chances ahead of opening the scoring on the half-hour mark.
Josh Sonni-Lambie and AJ Yeguo first combined for the latter to break into the box, though goalkeeper Joe Cowan saved well.
Oliver O'Connor then shot wide from a tight angle, before Yeguo again saw another one-v-one chance halted by the visiting stopper.
On 30 minutes, Liverpool broke the deadlock, netting via Joe Bradshaw, who latched on to a Sonni-Lambie pass to force a save and fired home the rebound.
Sunderland, however, turned the game around thanks to two quickfire goals in three minutes to lead at the break.
A fast counter caught the Reds in the visiting half, freeing Jay Matadeen to race away and provide a low cross to the unmarked Bayley Hester.
The Black Cats then got themselves in front as Matadeen turned from provider to goalscorer, converting a Finn Geragusyan cross after a driving run.
Following the interval, Liverpool pressed for a leveller and found one on the hour with Bradshaw producing his second of the contest.
He had missed two good openings in the minutes prior but made no mistake as he finished off a slick team move to score.
La'more Lee Forrester broke down the left, finding Yeguo free, who then quickly picked out Bradshaw.
The game finished in a flurry in the closing exchanges with Reds goalkeeper Bailey Hall saving well from Hester, while Haydn Murray-Holme and substitute Finn Inglethorpe both shot past the post.
The away team went ahead with two minutes of normal time remaining, scoring via Liam Hunt, who first hit the post, before following in to scramble home an effort.
Liverpool then thought they had rescued a point in the 91st minute through Inglethorpe after he reacted well to finish from a Murray-Holme corner ball.
But the visitors scored twice more deep in added time through Marcus Neill - who charged down a clearance - and Lewis Campbell, netting from inside the box, to earn the spoils.
Team
Liverpool U18s: Hall, O'Connor, Powney Wain, Cisse, Owen, Upton (Ayman, 60), Bradshaw, Murray-Holme, Sonni-Lambie (Inglethorpe, 46), Yeguo, Lee Forrester (Farkas, 76).
Unused subs: Esdaille, Hickman.
Next up
The Reds' U19s return to UEFA Youth League action on Tuesday afternoon (November 4), taking on Real Madrid.
Kick-off in Kirkby is 3pm GMT and All Red Video members can watch the game live.