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KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 24, 2024: Liverpool's Joe Bradshow (L) celebrates aftert scoring his side's second goal to level the score at 2-2 during the Under-18's Premier League North match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Middlesbrough FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool U18s triumph in 6-goal thriller as 16-year-old shines with brace

Liverpool U18s made it back-to-back wins in the league as they produced a 4-2 victory at home to Sunderland, with Joe Bradshaw scoring two in a strong display.

Liverpool U18s 4-2 Sunderland U18s

U18 Premier League | AXA Training Centre
October 26, 2024

Goals: Lonmeni 13′, Bradshaw 61′ 77′, O’Connor 90+8′; Samuel-Ogunsuyi pen 31′ 90′


Three days after the U19s’ 3-1 loss at RB Leipzig, the young Reds were back in action at the AXA, with DJ Esdaille and Kareem Ahmed both keeping their places from that clash.

Marc Bridge-Wilkinson otherwise worked with his core of U18s and saw an impressive start led by the outstanding Clae Ewing at left-back.

It was Ewing who laid on the opener through midfielder Scofield Lonmeni, who benefited from a deflection as he bent the ball into corner after the full-back drove inside and laid it off.

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Wednesday, August 28, 2024: Liverpool's Louis Enaharo-Marcus (L) celebrates with team-mate Schofield Lonmeni after scoring his side's second goal to make the score 2-3 during the Under-18's Premier League Cup match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Arsenal FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. Arsenal won 5-3. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool were left protesting after a strange penalty decision from the referee, with Ollie O’Connor penalised as two players challenged for a high ball, allowing Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi to bury the spot-kick for 1-1.

That deflated the young Reds somewhat, but they still pushed to restore their lead before half-time, with Kareem Ahmed particularly busy up front.

HT: Liverpool U18s 1-1 Sunderland U18s

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Wednesday, August 28, 2024: Liverpool's Joe Bradshaw, Ollie O'Connor and Afolami Onanuga walk out for the second half during the Under-18's Premier League Cup match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Arsenal FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. Arsenal won 5-3. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool continued to push hard for another goal after the break, with winger Bradshaw seeing an effort blocked after a powerful run from centre-back Lucas Pitt.

They regained the lead on the hour mark, with an excellent counter-attack involving Ahmed and Josh Sonni-Lambie eventually seeing Ewing freed down the left, with his cross touched in by Bradshaw.

After holding firm to deny a brief Sunderland onslaught, Liverpool grabbed another as Ollie O’Connor broke the lines with a brilliant pass to Ahmed, who then fed it through for Bradshaw to finish well for 3-1.

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 24, 2024: Liverpool's Kareem Ahmed during the Under-18's Premier League North match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Middlesbrough FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. Middlesbrough won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

That gave Bridge-Wilkinson the chance to freshen things up and protect those with tiring legs, which saw Bradshaw brought off on a brace along with the impressive Ewing.

Unfortunately that did see the young Reds lose some of their structure, and there was a late scare as Samuel-Ogunsuyi turned and fired in his second of the game.

But victory was guaranteed late on, as Sonni-Lambie did brilliantly to win a free-kick on the edge of the box and midfielder O’Connor blasted home for 4-2.


TIA Man of the Match: Joe Bradshaw

Liverpool U18s: Hall; Esdaille (Furnell-Gill 46′), Pitt (Cisse 75′), Enahoro-Marcus, Ewing (Evers 86′); Lonmeni, Upton, O’Connor; Bradshaw (Martin 81′), Ahmed, Sonni-Lambie

Subs not used: Bernard

Next match: Man City (A) – U18 Premier League – Saturday, November 2, 11.30am (GMT)