Liverpool exited the FA Youth Cup at the fifth-round stage, with injuries and absences leading to a 2-0 defeat away to the Ipswich under-18s on Friday.
Ipswich U18s 2-0 Liverpool U18s
FA Youth Cup 5th Round, Portman Road
February 3, 2023
Goals: Morgan 7′ 45+1′
Having overcome Bournemouth and Port Vale in the earlier rounds, the young Reds arrived at Portman Road with Bobby Clark as a starter but the lineup otherwise affected by absences.
An issue pre-match saw Jayden Danns left on the bench and under-16s midfielder Fola Onanuga deployed up front, while left-back Calum Scanlon was required in attack, too.
It was a chastening start, then, as Ipswich almost took the lead within seconds and then did so in the seventh minute as Rio Morgan fired home.
Liverpool had chances, including through Clark and Scanlon, while the positioning of goalkeeper Woody Williamson almost allowed Trent Kone-Doherty to loop a header in.
But just as Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side seemed in the ascendency, Ipswich dealt a sucker-punch as Francis Gyimah was caught out and breezed past by Morgan, who made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time.
Ipswich U18s 2-0 Liverpool U18s
Two goals down, it was no surprise to see the manager turn to a natural striker from the bench, with Danns sent on at half-time in place of the struggling Gyimah.
Liverpool were immediately much better, and within seconds of the restart Kone-Doherty saw an effort saved, while the introduction of Elijah Gift before the hour mark saw the teenager go close twice in quick succession.
Gift, a tall, Spanish-born winger who joined the Reds from Huddersfield, was impressive throughout, his movement opening up space for team-mates before getting himself into shooting positions.
The young Reds were handed a big chance to claw things back when Tommy Pilling was felled in the box, but captain Terence Miles saw his penalty saved with a number of attackers frustrated not to be given spot-kick duties.
They had the ball in the back of the net later, too, only for Danns to be deemed offside, with the tie trailing out for a cup exit for Liverpool.
Liverpool U18s: Hewitson; Davidson, Miles, Hayes-Green, Gyimah (Danns 46′); Laffey, Pilling, Clark; Kone-Doherty, Scanlon, Onanuga (Gift 56′)
Subs not used: Trueman, Pinnington, Pitt, Pennington, Morrison
Next match: Derby (H) – U18 Premier League – Saturday, February 11, 12pm (GMT)
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