Analysis of Liverpool Under-19s goalless draw with AC Milan as new partnership begins to develop and two exciting youngsters take big steps forward of their own
Trey Nyoni of Liverpool during the UEFA Youth League match between AC Milan and Liverpool FC at Centro Sportivo Vismara on September 17, 2024(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool Under-19s kicked off their UEFA Youth League Campaign with a goalless draw at AC Milan’s Puma House of Football on Tuesday afternoon. In what was a hard-fought result in Italy, the Reds were forced to withstand a second-half onslaught from the hosts but defended resolutely to secure a battling point in their first outing in the European competition since March 2023.
In a first-half devoid of real chances, AC Milan striker Francesca Camarda was booked for a dive after going around Liverpool goalkeeper Kornel Misciur and the No.9 was perhaps fortunate to stay on the pitch after clattering his Reds’ shot-stopper with a late challenge moments later as he attempted to close down a clearance inside the six-yard box.
Camarda hit the post in the second half while Misciur made a superb close-range stop to deny another chance shortly after Dariusz Stalmach had headed wide from a threatening cross.
New signing Rio Ngumoha was introduced in the second half but the visitors were unable to steal a late winner on the counter-attack as they were penned in and forced to settle for a draw.
Manager Barry Lewtas said: “Listen it was a tough game and I think we struggled to sustain attacks but look, overall, we spoke to the boys a little bit and it’s the first game of the competition, so I think we can be quite proud how we kept the ball out the other end.
“Kornel made a couple of good saves but I thought we did well, I thought we stuck at it and 0-0 away from the home in a competition like this is always a good result and I think it is something to build on.
“We still only play six games in the revamped Champions League so we still have the home and away aspects and I think it is quite nice, coming away from home and playing in a different environment, different pitches.
“But I think the home-and-away aspect is nice but playing six different teams will be really good as well. We’re happy to be in it and we want to play games and as always we want to try and get through to the next round if we can.”
Ngumoha settles in further
Having made his Under-18s debut on Saturday in a defeat to Blackburn Rovers, it was more minutes off the bench for new signing Rio Ngumoha, who was introduced as a second-half substitute.
The young winger, who officially signed from Chelsea earlier this month, is widely regarded as one of the most exciting teenagers in the country but having had a stunted pre-season while he prepared to make the move to the North West, the plan remains very much about gently blooding in the new recruit.
With Liverpool forced to retreat and defend resolutely in the second half, Ngumoha barely had a chance to stretch his legs on a counter-attack. One particular dart upfield saw him complete a couple of impressive step-overs before he was eventually crowded out but the flashes of skills were only fleetingly on show for those getting their first glimpse of the winger.
There will be most exciting cameos to come from Ngumoha but it is very much about getting him settled into his new surroundings right now. There is no rush.
Defensive progress obvious
Liverpool’s most recent meeting with a European giant was a humbling at home to PSV Eindhoven in the Premier League Cup shortly before transfer deadline day.
The Reds were undressed 4-0 by the Dutch side on the night with Lewtas without so many of his key men as speculation over their futures intensified in the closing days of the summer window.
With Lewtas now able to know who he can call upon for the campaign ahead, the young Reds looked a much more settled and solid outfit with defenders Wellity Lucky and Amara Nallo shining at the back.
The two centre-halves were outstanding as they threw themselves into everything to ensure the pathway to goal was always blocked for their Rossoneri counterparts.
Nallo, a signing from West Ham last year, was part of the club’s pre-season tour of the United States and looks like he has benefited considerably from working with the likes of Jarell Quansah and Ibrahima Konate in the States, while Lucky was similarly impressive alongside him.
Two years ago, Liverpool’s march to the knockout stages was built on the rock-solid displays of Quansah and Billy Koumetio at the back and it looks like Nallo and Lucky could be another fearsome partnership at the heart of the defence on this evidence.
Lewtas said: “A clean sheet is massive for them because there’s been a few games this season where there has been a few mistakes and things like that but they were rock solid to be fair to them.
“They blocked, they tackled, they headed everything away and I thought at times they were the moments we were quite good in possession as well and we just couldn’t move up the pitch enough as a team.
“We struggled at times, so when we did attack, it was an attack as individuals and to be fair to Milan, they defended really well as well. I think it was probably a game of two defences in the end, we couldn’t break them down in one-v-ones.
“I think there is a difference in us now. PSV were outstanding against us last month and I don’t think we’ve ever come across a team like that and I don’t think they have played that well before either. We did make a number of mistakes for the goals but at the moment, we’re starting to look like a team who aren’t going to give away anything on the cheap. And I thought on that night we came across a good team and were well beaten but we did create problems for ourselves.
“What I think we’ve shown now – and we’re only sort of a month or so from that [PSV game] that we look more of a coherent unit and we look more together and we have some experience with some boys in the U21s as well.”
Nyoni as captain
Having taken big strides in his first year at Liverpool, Trey Nyoni was rewarded with the captain’s armband for this one, as a symbol of his new-found seniority at youth level.
The classy midfielder started brightly, showing a number of quality touches to get away from the attention of the Milan midfield, with one cheeky nutmeg early on to set up an attack from the hosts and get Trent Kone-Doherty away to launch a counter up the other end.
Nyoni was always looking to get on the ball and dictate from deep and one particular take under pressure from a handful of Milan players drew gasps from those watching on from the stands.
Not everything he did came off, though, and there was a loss of possession in a dangerous area that put his defence under pressure, while he started to fade the longer the game went on and Milan began to get a stranglehold on proceedings.
That being said, Nyoni stuck to his task and took another step forward in his exciting development and with that West Ham United game in the Carabao Cup to come next week, the wider fanbase might be about to get a closer glimpse of a player who is continuing to make leaps forward at Liverpool.
