MANCHESTER CITY U18 1, LIVERPOOL U18 1 (Liverpool win FA Youth Cup 5-3 on penalties)
Liverpool won the FA Youth Cup final on penalties for the first time since a shootout in 2007 won it for them against Manchester United.
Nabil Touaizi’s first half injury time goal put Manchester City’s U18 side into the lead in the FA Youth Cup but they were pegged back with 4 minutes to go by Liverpool.
City lost captain Eric Garcia to injury before former City youth striker Bobby Duncan’s 30 yard drive was spilled by Louie Moulden into the back of his own net with 4 minutes to go to level things up.
City suffered more with injuries and cramp in extra time as neither side could find a clear cut chance.
And it went to penalties with substitute Cole Palmer hitting the crossbar while Liverpool scored all theirs to win the FA Youth Cup for the first time in 12 years.
Up against fitter opponents in Liverpool, the Blues couldn’t hold on to their slender lead after losing captain Eric Garcia to injury in the second half of a tense final at the City Football Academy Stadium.
City were unchanged from the side that beat West Brom 3-1 in the Semi final.
There was goalmouth excitement from the start as Adrian Bernarbe’s cross was almost turned in by Nabil Touaizi but for a block by Liverpool goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros after just over a minute.
After 10 minutes Yasser Larouci’s speculative shot took a deflection off a City defender and looped goalwards before being tipped over the bar by Louie Moulden.
Moulden was grateful for the goal line intervention of defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis two minutes later when his poor clearance went straight to Jake Cain who went for goal immediately from 20 yards out.
City had the measure of their opponents, though, with Ben Knight blazing over from close range, Tommy Doyle hitting the side netting and a deflected Felix Nmecha shot holing out into the arms of Jaros.
It was almost inevitable, then, after City had taken control of the second quarter of the game, that they would score.
Nabil Touaizi broke the deadlock in first half injury time after converting an Adrian Bernabe cross driven in from the left at the near post.
City continued to press Liverpool in the second half when losing the ball.
Touaizi almost doubled City’s advantage shortly after the restart after Doyle had robbed Larouci and put him though but his shot was saved by Jaros.
Sharif’s shot was parried by Moulden who also saved a shot by Paul Glatzel as Liverpool briefly came to life.
During this time City were hit by an injury to their captain – Eric Garcia had gone down for treatment earlier in the second half – and hobbled off to be replaced by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in the 59th minute.
City reshuffled and Rowan Macdonald went into the back four and Doyle dropped deeper into midfield to accommodate Dele-Bashiru.
But Leighton Clarkson brought a good save out of Moulden as Liverpool continued their goal threat against a disrupted City who tried to slow the game down and settle for hitting Liverpool on the break.
Ben Knight exchanged passes with Touaizi and forced Jaros into a diving save to tip the ball away as Liverpool started to commit more players to attack.
Louis Longstaff replaced injured Leighton Clarkson for Liverpool who saw a long range shot by Larouci go wide.
The final 10 minutes saw spaces open up for City – Bernabe’s cross set up a chance for Knight whose low drive was blocked on the line by Morgan Boyes.
Knight had another chance blocked and deflected clear for a corner by Rhys Williams as City finished strongly.
Bobby Duncan levels the final with 4 minutes to go after a mistake by Louie Moulden
But with 4 minutes left City’s former striker Bobby Duncan, who only moved back to his boyhood club in the summer, strike with a long range effort at a comfortable height for Moulden who inexplicably spilled it out of his hands and into the back of the net.
City went close to a winner with Harwood-Bellis sending an effort wide in normal time.
Ben Knight, who was suffering from cramp, was withdrawn just before the end of normal time for Nathaniel Ogbeta.
Ogbeta sent a Doyle corner wide during the first period of added time with the likes of Felix Nmecha and Harwood-Bellis feeling the effects of cramp.
Mistakes began to appear in both sides and City appeared to be leggier than Liverpool.
Cole Palmer replaced Bernabe at the start of the second period of extra time, the Spanish winger seemed to be feeling his hamstring before being replaced.
Nmecha had a 114th minute handball claim turned down when his attempted cross appeared to be illegally cut out by Neco Williams as City gained a second wind late in the game.
And Harwood-Bellis headed wide from Doyle’s corner 2 minutes later before being withdrawn for Henri Ogunby having suffered throughout extra time with cramp.
Doyle tried a long range shot from 35 yards and saw it go wide before the game went to the inevitable penalties.
Palmer was consoled first by Touaizi after his penalty miss but the mistake was costly as Liverpool captain Paul Glatzel completed a perfect 5 spot kicks to win the cup for his team.
GOALS – Manchester City U18 1, Liverpool U18 1 (Liverpool win 5-3 on penalties)
Man City U18 1, Liverpool U18 0: 45+2. Nabil Touaizi broke the deadlock in first half injury time after converting an Adrian Bernabe cross driven in from the left.
Liverpool U18 1, Liverpool U18 1: 86. Louie Moulden spilled Bobby Duncan’s 30 yard curling drive out of his clutch and into the back of his own net.
PENALTIES – Manchester City U18 1, Liverpool U18 1 (Liverpool win 5-3 on penalties)
Liverpool go first
Neco Williams SCORES to the right
Felix Nmecha SCORES to the left
Elijah Dixon-Bonner SCORES in the top left corner
Cole Palmer HITS THE CROSSBAR
Abdi Sharif SCORES to the left
Tommy Doyle SCORES to the right
Jack Bearne SCORES to the right
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru SCORES to the left
Paul Glatzel SCORES to the left
Liverpool win 5-3 on penalties
MATCH STATS – Manchester City U18 1, Liverpool U18 1 (Liverpool win 5-3 on penalties)
Man City U18: Moulden, Diounkou, Garcia (C) (F Dele-Bashiru 59), Harwood-Bellis (Ogunby 116), Frimpong, McDonald, Knight (Ogbeta 90+4), Doyle, Doyle, Touaizi, F Nmecha, Bernabe (Palmer 116)
Man City U18 Subs Not Used: Bazunu, Palmer
Goal: Touaizi 45+2
Liverpool U18: Jaros, Williams, Larouci, Williams, Boyes, Clarkson (Longstaff 78), Sharif, Cain (Bearne 101), Glatzel (C), Duncan, Dixon-Bonner
Liverpool U18 Subs Not Used: O’Rourke, Kelly, Savage
Goal: Duncan 86
Attendance: 3,878