U18s match report: Liverpool suffer league defeat at home to Wolves
The visitors started quickly in the U18 Premier League fixture and were two ahead within 16 minutes, adding a third early in the second half.
Figueroa reduced the deficit but Wolves added a fourth within two minutes and never really looked like relinquishing their grip on the game.
Bradshaw struck in stoppage time to cap a good 45 minutes off the bench for the 15-year-old winger, though the result was rarely in doubt.
Wolves were sharper in the early stages and it was no surprise when they took the lead on 11 minutes.
Conor McLeod was given too much space on the edge of the Reds’ box and duly drilled a low angled shot past Nathan Morana and into the corner of the net.
Within five minutes, the lead was two. A ball in from the right targeted three Wolves players at the back post and when Emmanuel Airoboma tried to clear, he could only steer the cross high into his own net.
Liverpool finally stirred and it was Ranel Young who led the way with some fine runs.
In the 20th minute, he sprinted away from everyone, only to be denied by goalkeeper Lewys Benjamin as he looked to go round him to finish.
PHOTOS
By Nick Taylor
Morana made a good low save to deny Testimony Igbinoghene before Young looked to have a strong shout for a penalty turned away as he was hauled down in the box.
Marc Bridge-Wilkinson reacted to the deficit with a pair of half-time changes – Bradshaw and Josh Sonni-Lambie arriving from the bench.
It didn't have the desired immediate impact, with Wolves threatening first in the second period as Minkyu Ji blasted over from a good position and Luke Rawlings shot straight at Morana.
Liverpool left-back Harry Evers used his potent throw to release Kieran Morrison behind the defence, but Bradshaw couldn’t control his fierce cross.
Just before the hour mark and Wolves looked to have made the game safe as substitute Makenzie Bradbury collected a through ball, turned a defender and finished past Morana to make it 3-0.
Figueroa arrived from the bench for Liverpool and with just under 20 minutes left he gave the Reds some hope.
Morrison fired in a trademark shot from the edge of the box and when Benjamin saved, Figueroa was on hand to calmly finish into the empty net.
Hope of a comeback lasted just two minutes, however, as Wolves grabbed a fourth – Fraser Harper’s lofted drive giving Morana no chance.
Morrison and Bradshaw finished the game brightly for Liverpool on both wings and the latter deserved his goal in injury time, heading home at the back post from a deep Airoboma cross.
TEAM
Liverpool U18s: Morana, Pitt, Evers, Furnell-Gill, Airoboma, Kelly (Bradshaw, 46), Laffey, Morrison, Ahmed (Sonni-Lambie, 46), Young (Figueroa, 62), Onanuga.
Unused substitutes: Hall, Lonmeni.
NEXT UP
The U18s complete their 2023-24 campaign with a trip to Derby County on Saturday May 11.
The contest kicks off at 12.30pm BST and can be watched live on LFCTV GO.
