A 25-minute blitz from the Liverpool under-18s saw them seal a 6-0 win at Sunderland, with six different goalscorers capping an excellent morning for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson.
Sunderland U18s 0-6 Liverpool U18s
U18 Premier League, Academy of Light
February 20, 2021
Goals: Mabaya 53′, Musialowski 60′, Woltman 62′, Corness 67′, Quansah 77′, McConnell 78′
The young Reds took to the Academy of Light four days after a frustrating stoppage-time loss to Blackburn, eager to respond with a morale-boosting victory.
Bridge-Wilkinson handed new signing Kaide Gordon his second start, naming an unchanged side including all three of his summer arrivals in goalkeeper Fabian Mrozek, midfielder Melkamu Frauendorf and forward Mateusz Musialowski.
A slow first half ended with neither side finding the back of the net, despite Liverpool dominating throughout, as Sunderland goalkeeper Adam Richardson held strong.
The floodgates opened eight minutes after the break, however, as Max Woltman laid it on for Isaac Mabaya to break the deadlock and begin a flurry of six goals in just 25 minutes.
Musialowski was next on the scoresheet, beating Richardson on the hour, before Gordon teed up Woltman to make it 3-0 and Dominic Corness added another with a brilliant free-kick.
A full 10 minutes went by without a goal before Mabaya turned provider for captain Jarell Quansah, with substitute James McConnell rounding off the win with a strike just two minutes after replacing Gordon.
The occasion gave Bridge-Wilkinson the opportunity to hand under-16s regular Tommy Pilling his competitive U18s debut off the bench, with Liverpool firing 20 shots on goal to Sunderland‘s two.
Next up for the young Reds is the mini-Merseyside derby at Kirkby this weekend, with this result a perfect warmup as Liverpool look to keep up the pressure on U18 Premier League leaders Man United.
Liverpool U18s: Mrozek; Wilson, Quansah, Miles (Jonas 43′), Norris; Corness, Mabaya, Frauendorf; Gordon (McConnell 76′), Woltman, Musialowski (Piling 79′)
Subs not used: Hewitson
Next match: Everton (H) – U18 Premier League – Saturday, February 27, 11am (GMT)
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