KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 1, 2023: Liverpool's Keyrol Figueroa (C) celebrates scoring his side second goal with team-mates during the Under-18 Premier League match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. (Pic by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)

Keyrol Figueroa’s 13-minute hat-trick gives Liverpool U18s easy win

The prodigious Keyrol Figueroa scored three times in 13 minutes for the Liverpool under-18s as they beat Wolves 3-0 at the AXA Training Centre.

Liverpool U18s 3-0 Wolves U18s

U18 Premier League, AXA Training Centre
April 1, 2023

Goals: Figueroa 16′ 21′ 29′


It was a chastening afternoon for Liverpool’s first team as they lost 4-1 at Man City, but back on Merseyside there was at least a glimmer of positivity.

That came in the form of Figueroa – a familiar name due to his father, Maynor – and the U18s’ 3-0 victory over Wolves.

With injuries and the under-21s playing the night before, manager Marc Bridge-Wilkinson was forced to field a very young side, including under-16s centre-backs Luca Furnell-Gill and Lucas Pitt.

But there was excitement in the attack, with Figueroa taking his place alongside Lewis Koumas and Jayden Danns – two others whose fathers also played in the Premier League.

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 1, 2023: Liverpool's Keyrol Figueroa scores the opening goal during the Under-18 Premier League match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. (Pic by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)

After seven goals in seven games with the United States at the CONCACAF U17 Championship, the 16-year-old has begun to show his potential with his club.

That culminated in a trio of goals in 13 first-half minutes in Kirkby: the first a comfortable finish, the second a looping header and the third punishing an error from goalkeeper Stan Amos.

It came on a difficult afternoon for Wolves, who saw Testimony Igbinoghene dealt a straight red card for his challenge on Michael Laffey.

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 1, 2023: Liverpool's Keyrol Figueroa (R) celebrates scoring the opening goal with team-mates during the Under-18 Premier League match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. (Pic by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)

Liverpool had a number of other opportunities too, not least through Koumas, but they were left to settle for a 3-0 victory and a welcome three points.

For club and country so far this season, Figueroa has now scored 12 goals in 18 games, of which only seven came as a starter.


Liverpool U18s: Mrozek; Davidson (Roberts 87′), Furnell-Gill, Pitt, Scanlon; Laffey, Onanuga, Kelly (Osborne 70′); Danns, Figueroa (Gift 78′), Koumas

Subs not used: Hewitson, Hayes-Green

Next match: Newcastle (A) – U18 Premier League – Tuesday, April 11, 11am (BST)