Trent Kone-Doherty followed up his Liverpool senior debut with an outstanding performance despite a 5-3 penalty defeat for the U19s in the UEFA Youth League.
Stuttgart U19s 2-2 Liverpool U19s (5-3 on pens)
UEFA Youth League Round of 32 | Gazi-Stadion auf der WaldauFebruary 11, 2025
Goals: Bujupi 8′, Korkut 19′; Morrison 26′, Kone-Doherty 45+2′
After scraping through to the knockouts having finished 19th in the league phase, Liverpool fielded a strong side in their trip to Stuttgart.
That included starts for Kone-Doherty and Rio Ngumoha after their involvement for the first team only two days previous, with Amara Nallo and Kieran Morrison among the others to start.
Kone-Doherty was handed a big chance to put the young Reds ahead early on but showed too much of the ball to the goalkeeper, and soon Liverpool were punished by two quick goals.
The second came from an error from goalkeeper Kornel Misciur, passing into danger and being beaten by the recipient of his mistake, with Efe Korkut finding the bottom corner.
Brilliant work from Morrison on the right gave Liverpool an early response, with the midfielder breaking into space and feeding Kone-Doherty, who eventually cut the ball back for Morrison to finish for 2-1.
Kone-Doherty earned his equaliser just before the break, the 18-year-old winger receiving the ball on the edge of the box and, cutting onto his right, powering his shot into the bottom corner with precision.
HT: Stuttgart U19s 2-2 Liverpool U19s
The second half began as an open game for both sides, with Liverpool particularly vulnerable as Stuttgart ran in behind and Nallo prone to error.
Ngumoha struggled to get involved and it was his overlapping left-back, the debuting Clae Ewing, who was more of a threat, twice going close with efforts after driving forward.
A double change from Barry Lewtas, with Ngumoha and Josh Sonni-Lambie off and the in-form Joe Bradshaw and striker Keyrol Figueroa on, served as a refresh of Liverpool’s attack as they pushed for a winner.
But with the two sides equal at the end of 90 minutes, the tie went to penalties and unfortunately the young Reds fell short, captain Nallo’s weak effort saved in the defining moment.
TIA Man of the Match: Trent Kone-Doherty
Liverpool U19s: Misciur; Pinnington, Nallo, Lucky, Ewing; Laffey, Davidson (Onanuga 37′), Morrison; Kone-Doherty (Esdaille 90+1′), Ngumoha (Bradshaw 75′), Sonni-Lambie (Figueroa 75′)
Subs not used: Hall, Bernard, Upton, Ahmed
Next match: Blackburn (A) – U18 Premier League – Saturday, February 15, 11am (GMT)
