Liverpool U18s fell to a 3-1 defeat against bottom-of-the-league Leeds on Saturday, but top goalscorer Joe Bradshaw once again impressed and scored.
Liverpool U18s 1-3 Leeds U18s
U18 Premier League, Kirkby AcademyMarch 1, 2025
Goals: Bradshaw 35′; Mills 19′, Lane 42′, Vincent 54′
Despite the sunny weather in Kirkby, Liverpool under-18s left the field with frowns on their faces after a fourth consecutive defeat.
This one felt particularly disappointing, too, as it was against the U18 Premier League‘s bottom-place team, Leeds, who are now just a point behind Liverpool.
Coach Marc Bridge-Wilkinson chose to give Alvin Ayman the captain’s armband, with the summer signing starting as an attacking midfielder.
As a result, Kareem Ahmed dropped to the bench from the 5-2 midweek loss at Nottingham Forest, and Afolami Onanuga played a slightly deeper position.
The Reds started the game under pressure, Prince Kobe Cisse clearing the ball off the line in just the second minute.
Leeds were threatening through Harvey Vincent on the right wing, but Louie Whitehead who created their opener, floating a perfectly-weighted pass over the top for Callum Mills to finish superbly with a volley taken on the outside of his right foot.
Liverpool then responded well and got an equaliser after 35 minutes, thanks to a backpost header by Bradshaw following Ollie O’Connor’s deep, inswinging corner.
The hosts didn’t keep things level for long, however, as Freddie Lane drove the ball into the corner just seven minutes later.
Half time: Liverpool U18 1-2 Leeds U18s
At half time, winger Tyler Martin and defender Louis Enahoro-Marcus were replaced by Scofield Lonmeni and Harvey Owen, who was signed as a 14-year-old from Wolves for a reported £800,000.
The change made no real difference to Liverpool’s fortunes, though, with Leeds adding another fewer than 10 minutes after the break.
With ample time in midfield, Josh McDonald played in Vincent down the right who, despite a poor first touch, nicked the ball away from goalkeeper Bailey Hall and won a spot-kick.
The penalty-winner subsequently stepped up to take and he converted to the goalkeeper’s left as Hall dived in the other direction.
Later, Ahmed came on for Ayman in attack as Bradshaw switched to the left. Also, left-back Harry Evers replaced Cisse.
In the 73rd minute, Liverpool’s other full-back on the day, 16-year-old Cameron Williams, linked up excellently with Ahmed as he received the ball on an underlapping run.
He then squared to striker Josh Sonni-Lambie, who got across his man efficiently, but had his first-time effort superbly saved by the feet of Leeds goalkeeper George Kenyon.
Sonni-Lambie had another opportunity towards the end which he dragged across goal, and the away side ultimately looked comfortable for the final minutes.
The Reds need to get out of their current rut quickly, as they face Reading in the semi-finals of the U18 Premier League Cup on Wednesday.
Liverpool U18s: Hall; Cisse (Evers 68′), Airoboma, Enahoro-Marcus (Owen 46′), Williams; O’Connor, Onanuga; Bradshaw, Ayman (Ahmed 60′), Martin (Lonmeni 46′); Sonni-Lambie
Subs not used: Bernard
Next Match: Reading U18s (H) – U18 PL Cup semi-final – Wednesday, March 5, 12pm (GMT)
