Manchester City EDS 3, Liverpool U23 2
Goals by Lorenzo Gonzalez, Rabbi Matondo, and Felix Nmecha wiped out an early Harry Wilson penalty for Liverpool who could only score a late consolation through Toni Gomes as the struggling Manchester City EDS side, who lost Benjamin Garre to injury, toppled Premier League 2 league leaders Liverpool at the City Football Academy.
City were lucky to win after Liverpool had served out the better chances in an injury hit game in which three players were substituted in an extended first half that lasted nearly an hour thanks to extended injury time with injury niggles on both sides throughout the game.
There had been little warning of the action to unfold for the first 12 minutes as both sides tested each other without much goalmouth drama before Liverpool suddenly picked up the pace and took City by surprise.
Harry Wilson converted a 14th minute penalty after skipping Ed Francis’ challenge on the right touchline before cutting inside and being felled by a sliding Joel Latibeaudiere challenge in the box.
Wilson missed a sitter of a cross by Yan Dhanda less than two minutes later when his header was glanced well wide.
The Reds quickly paid for their profligacy as an error allowed Lorenzo Gonzalez to roll one the equaliser into an empty net after 20 minutes after Tom Dele-Bashiru laid the ball on for him.
City lost Benjamin Garre to a serious looking injury that required several minutes treatment on the pitch before he was stretchered off with his right leg heavily strapped and replaced by Felix Nmecha.
Liverpool looked the more threatening side for the rest of the first half as both sides looked for a breakthrough but it was City who got in front after a great spell of attacking play.
Lorenzo Gonzalez wasn’t quick enough to get on the end of Javairo Dilrosun’s cross before Rabbi Matondo put City into the lead as the game drifted into eight minutes of injury time when his charge up the left wing was unchecked and the youngster thundered a shot past Kamil Grabara.
Matondo had another strike saved by Grabara in stoppage time while Rhian Brewster’s effort came back off the post as both sides tried to score in first half added time.
Brewster’s game was cut short prematurely after he landed awkwardly and also had to be stretchered off deep into injury time just minutes after team mate Mich’el Parker limped off after suffering his own injury.
Liverpool U23 denied after wasted chances against Manchester City EDS
The second half was less eventful, with Dilrosun’s shot going over the bar.
Liverpool’s Wilson cold have levelled the scores five minutes after the restart but put his effort wide while Bobbie Adekanye blazed over his free shot after 63 minutes and Wilson had a free kick saved by Curtis Anderson, who was making his EDS debut.
City extended their lead after Dilrosun got to the byline and cut the ball back to the edge of the box where substitute Nmecha’s strike beat Grabara after 75 minutes.
With a good safety cushion established, and despite a late goal by Liverpool substitute Toni Gomes to make it 3-2, City held on for an unlikely win which took them up into 7th.
MATCH STATS
Man City EDS: Anderson, Oliver, Latibeaudiere, Francis, Davenport, Smith, Matondo (Wood 90), T. Dele-Bashiru, Gonzalez (Touaizi 70), Dilrosun, Garre (Nmecha 29)
Man City EDS Subs: Garcia, Sokol, Wood, F. Nmecha, Touaizi
Goals: Gonzalez 20, Matondo 45, F Nmecha 75
Bookings: Nmecha
Liverpool U23: Grabara, Parker (Jones 45), Juanma, Masterson, Johnston, Kane, Wilson, Alves, Brewster (Millar 45), Dhanda (Gomes 81), Adekanye
Liverpool U23 Subs: Kelleher, T Gomes, Millar, Jones
Goals: Wilson 14 pen, Gomes 90