U18s match report: Liverpool suffer league defeat at home to Wolves

Morana made a good low save to deny Testimony Igbinoghene before Young looked to have a strong shout for a penalty turned away as he was hauled down in the box.

Marc Bridge-Wilkinson reacted to the deficit with a pair of half-time changes – Bradshaw and Josh Sonni-Lambie arriving from the bench.

It didn't have the desired immediate impact, with Wolves threatening first in the second period as Minkyu Ji blasted over from a good position and Luke Rawlings shot straight at Morana.

Liverpool left-back Harry Evers used his potent throw to release Kieran Morrison behind the defence, but Bradshaw couldn’t control his fierce cross.

Just before the hour mark and Wolves looked to have made the game safe as substitute Makenzie Bradbury collected a through ball, turned a defender and finished past Morana to make it 3-0.

Figueroa arrived from the bench for Liverpool and with just under 20 minutes left he gave the Reds some hope.

Morrison fired in a trademark shot from the edge of the box and when Benjamin saved, Figueroa was on hand to calmly finish into the empty net.

Hope of a comeback lasted just two minutes, however, as Wolves grabbed a fourth – Fraser Harper’s lofted drive giving Morana no chance.

Morrison and Bradshaw finished the game brightly for Liverpool on both wings and the latter deserved his goal in injury time, heading home at the back post from a deep Airoboma cross.

TEAM

Liverpool U18s: Morana, Pitt, Evers, Furnell-Gill, Airoboma, Kelly (Bradshaw, 46), Laffey, Morrison, Ahmed (Sonni-Lambie, 46), Young (Figueroa, 62), Onanuga.

Unused substitutes: Hall, Lonmeni.

NEXT UP

The U18s complete their 2023-24 campaign with a trip to Derby County on Saturday May 11.

The contest kicks off at 12.30pm BST and can be watched live on LFCTV GO.