Academypoints with Salzburg and Genk on four and Napoli with one. But
against expectations Genk won 1-0 at Kirkby with a goal three
minutes into added-time.
With only the group winners going straight through, Liverpool
now found themselves level with Genk and Salzburg on seven
points.
Next up, Napoli at home. “We always go into every game with the
mentality of trying to win – we will be ready,” insisted Barry Lewtas
before the action, and how right he was. His young Reds put seven
past their opponents without reply, with Curtis Jones scoring a hat-
trick and the other goals from Jake Cain, Elijah Dixon-Bonner and
Luis Longstaf with two.
The win meant avoiding defeat at Salzburg on Matchday Six would
secure that place in the last 16. Liverpool did just that – but only
after conceding two irst-half goals to their hosts in Austria.
A spirited ightback after the break was richly rewarded. Winger
Harvey Elliott despatched a 67th-minute penalty following a foul on
Elijah Dixon-Bonner, then with 11 minutes left midielder Tom Hill’s
clever looping header drew his side level.
Late drama was to follow as Jack Bearne, who’d only just returned
from a long-term injury, slid home fellow forward Stewart’s
unselish cut-back with the inal kick of the match.
The manager’s verdict: “It was quite nice for the boys to have
that little bit of pressure on them – that’s why we enter these
competitions.
“To go into games when there is a little bit more on them is
important, and it’s good for the staf as well.”
Bring on the last sixteen!GROUP E TABLE
P W D L F A GD Pts
Liverpool 6 4 1 1 17 6 11 13
Salzburg 6 3 1 2 19 11 8 10
Genk 6 2 2 2 5 6 -1 8
Napoli 6 0 2 4 5 23 -18 2UEFA YOUTH LEAGUE GROUP E
Matchday One: Napoli 1 Liverpool 1 (Stewart); Salzburg 1 Genk 1
Matchday Two: Liverpool 4 (Larouci, Williams, Jones, Brewster)
Salzburg 2; Genk 3 Napoli 1
Matchday Three: Genk 0 Liverpool 2 (Stewart, Jones);
Salzburg 7 Napoli 2
Matchday Four: Liverpool 0 Genk 1; Napoli 1 Salzburg 5
Matchday Five: Liverpool 7 Napoli 0 (Jones 3, Longstaf 2, Cain,
Dixon-Bonner); Genk 0 Salzburg 2
Matchday Six: Salzburg 2 Liverpool 3 (Elliott, Hill, Bearne);
Napoli 0 Genk 0Lewtas saw his young side
score seven at home to NapoliJack Bearne wins it in Salzburg!