ST HELENS, ENGLAND - Monday, January 21, 2019: Liverpool's captain Paul Glatzel during the FA Youth Cup 4th Round match between Liverpool FC and Accrington Stanley FC at Langtree Park. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

Paul Glatzel & Bobby Duncan score but 10-man Liverpool U18s exit Premier League Cup

Liverpool U18s exited the Premier League Cup after a 3-2 defeat in extra time against Man United, with a red card proving the turning point.

Liverpool U18s 2-3 Man United U18s

Premier League Cup Quarter-Final, Kirkby
January 26, 2019

Goals Glatzel 41′, Duncan 57′; Greenwood 60′, 105′, Mengi 76′


Barry Lewtas‘ youthful charges took on their Man United counterparts at the Academy on Saturday morning looking to progress into the semi-finals of the Premier League Cup.

With no replays, the quarter-final match had to be settled on the day, adding even more meaning to a match between rivals.

The Reds had two changes in the starting XI from the side which beat Accrington Stanley 4-0 in the FA Youth Cup earlier in the week, with Morgan Boyes coming into defence and Matteo Ritaccio starting in midfield.

Liverpool’s U18s have been in great form of late, progressing to the FA Youth Cup fifth round, moving top of the U18 Premier League and winning a prestigious indoor tournament, the Mercedes-Benz Junior Cup, in Germany at the beginning of the month.

Now a big performance would be needed to ensure further progression in the Premier League Cup—but extra time proved a step too far for the young Reds.

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, January 26, 2019: Liverpool's Yasser Larouci (R) and Manchester United's Jimmy Garner during the FA Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Liverpool FC at Molineux Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

  • Two changes for the Reds; Bobby Duncan and Paul Glatzel start up front
  • Glatzel misses penalty but scores the rebound to put Reds ahead
  • Clarkson and Glatzel combine for Duncan to score his 20th of the season
  • Morgan Boyes sent-off moments later and United score resulting free-kick
  • Jaros produces big saves but can’t prevent equaliser
  • Game heads to extra time and 10-man Reds fall to defeat

The first half saw a quiet opening, with Liverpool perhaps having more possession but chances few and far between.

Paul Glatzel fashioned what might have been the first big opening, playing in Bobby Duncan after 10 minutes, but the latter’s first touch was too heavy and the opportunity was gone.

Vitezslav Jaros, in goal for the Reds, had to then be alert to tip over a fierce drive and claim the ensuing corner.

The impressive performers were mainly down the Liverpool left in the first half, with Luis Longstaff drifting all over the pitch and Yasser Larouci raiding forward from left-back at every opportunity.

Just shy of the half-hour mark, the young Reds put together the best move of the half; Longstaff and Glatzel were involved before Elijah Dixon-Bonner put through Duncan, who saw his fierce shot saved by the outstretched foot of United keeper Thompson.

Jaros was then called into action again to stop James Garner’s effort, moments after United’s Aliou Traore had shown great footwork to race away from several Reds defenders.

Glatzel and United’s Mason Greenwood then traded strikes as the half drew to a close, with both goalkeepers coming out on top—before Glatzel’s inventive run forced a rash tackle in the box, giving Liverpool a penalty right before half-time.

The spot-kick was taken by Glatzel himself and, though Thompson saved the initial hit, the striker reacted fastest to rattle home his 21st goal of the season on the rebound.

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, January 26, 2019: Liverpool's captain Paul Glatzel sees his penalty saved before scoring with a re-bound during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC at The Academy. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

After the break, United started with a greater intensity and looked to press the Reds far more, but before the hour mark, Liverpool went two up.

Leighton Clarkson sparked a fine move through the centre, Glatzel broke free to go one-on-one with the goalkeeper—and unselfishly squared for Duncan to roll home his 20th of the season.

That put the Reds in a great position—but three minutes later they were down to 10 men and the lead was halved.

A United break through the middle saw Largie Ramazani hauled down by centre-back Morgan Boyes, who was shown a straight red card.

It was hard on Boyes, who had defended excellently in the first half, but the ref had no choice—and matters were made worse as Mason Greenwood curled the resulting free-kick straight into the top corner.

U18s boss Lewtas made subs to counter the flow of the game, bringing on Remi Savage in defence and Jake Cain in midfield, with the latter immediately helping the Reds regain a measure of control.

Duncan then led appeals for a third goal for Liverpool after a corner was spilled by United’s keeper, but the referee adjudged that the ball hadn’t crossed the line.

At the other end, Jaros produced a stunning one-handed save with 15 minutes to go—but Teden Mengi followed it up moments later with a strike into the bottom corner to equalise and force extra time.

Greenwood then rattled in a second spectacular free-kick in the last seconds of the first period of extra time to complete the turnaround, before Glatzel hit the post from close range as the Reds sought out an equaliser of their own.

United’s man advantage and superior physicality proved to be too much in the final period, though, and the Reds exited at the last-eight stage.

ST HELENS, ENGLAND - Wednesday, October 24, 2018: Liverpool's goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros during the UEFA Youth League Group C match between Liverpool FC and FK Crvena zvezda at Langtree Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)


TIA Man of the Match: Vitezslav Jaros

LFC U18s: Jaros; Walls, R.Williams, Boyes, Larouci; Ritaccio, Dixon-Bonner (Cain 65′), Longstaff, Clarkson (Savage 62′); Glatzel (O’Rourke 105′), Duncan

Subs not used: B.Williams, Bearne

Next Match: Stoke City (H) – U18 Premier League – Saturday, February 2, 11am (GMT)

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