First-half goals from Lauri Dalla Valle and David Amoo gave Liverpool under-18s a 2-0 victory in their derby clash with Everton at the Kirkby Academy on Saturday.
Hugh McAuley’s side bounced back from their crushing 4-1 defeat to Premier Academy League Group C leaders Manchester City the previous week in the ideal way.
The match started in a strangely low-key manner and Liverpool keeper Martin Hansen had to save well from Cory Sinnott.
But Liverpool made the breakthrough after 18 minutes when Finnish forward Dalla Valle broke through onto Adam Pepper’s pass to score with a clinical finish.
Amoo hit the post after the ball rebounded to him, but then the London-born right-sided player made it 2-0 just four minutes after the opener.
Former Millwall youngster Amoo had a couple of efforts blocked by Everton defenders before he fired in.
In the second half midfielder Pepper twice went close with free-kicks and also with a long-range effort that whistled past the post. In the end Liverpool ran out fairly comfortable 2-0 winners and coach McAuley said: “Obviously it was a lot better than week against Manchester City. I thought we played very well and controlled the game for large parts and passed the ball a lot better than last weekend.
“We created good chances in the first half and went 2-0 ahead. That put us in the driving seat and we controlled the match for much of it.
“Everton are a good side, they were competitive and gave us a good game and although we were ahead the game was still in the balance. In the second half we dominated again without scoring.”
Liverpool will aim to build on their derby win to keep in touch with leaders Manchester City, who remain seven points clear, when they visit Stoke City this Saturday (kick-off 11am).
LIVERPOOL UNDER-18s: Hansen; Scott, Kennedy, Wisom, O’Connor (Ince 45); Amoo, Pepper, Buchtmann, Kacakniklic, Ince (Pourie 45), Dalla Valle. Subs: Cooper, Duyan.
Hugh McAuley’s side bounced back from their crushing 4-1 defeat to Premier Academy League Group C leaders Manchester City the previous week in the ideal way.
The match started in a strangely low-key manner and Liverpool keeper Martin Hansen had to save well from Cory Sinnott.
But Liverpool made the breakthrough after 18 minutes when Finnish forward Dalla Valle broke through onto Adam Pepper’s pass to score with a clinical finish.
Amoo hit the post after the ball rebounded to him, but then the London-born right-sided player made it 2-0 just four minutes after the opener.
Former Millwall youngster Amoo had a couple of efforts blocked by Everton defenders before he fired in.
In the second half midfielder Pepper twice went close with free-kicks and also with a long-range effort that whistled past the post. In the end Liverpool ran out fairly comfortable 2-0 winners and coach McAuley said: “Obviously it was a lot better than week against Manchester City. I thought we played very well and controlled the game for large parts and passed the ball a lot better than last weekend.
“We created good chances in the first half and went 2-0 ahead. That put us in the driving seat and we controlled the match for much of it.
“Everton are a good side, they were competitive and gave us a good game and although we were ahead the game was still in the balance. In the second half we dominated again without scoring.”
Liverpool will aim to build on their derby win to keep in touch with leaders Manchester City, who remain seven points clear, when they visit Stoke City this Saturday (kick-off 11am).
LIVERPOOL UNDER-18s: Hansen; Scott, Kennedy, Wisom, O’Connor (Ince 45); Amoo, Pepper, Buchtmann, Kacakniklic, Ince (Pourie 45), Dalla Valle. Subs: Cooper, Duyan.
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