Topic: Youth Cup Final First Leg: Liverpool 3-0 Manchester City

[Rushian]

Liverweb Youth Cup Final Match Report

Liverpool 3 Manchester City 0

Liverpool: Roberts, Darby (capt.), Hobbs, Antwi, Threlfall, Anderson, Barnett, Flynn, Barratt, Lindfield, Hammill

Subs: Hammill for Roque (76), Spearing for Flynn (87)

Subs Unused: Mimms, Nardiello, Ryan

Attendance: 12,744

The Reds took a giant step towards winning this years FA Youth Cup with a comfortable 3-0 win at Anfield. The scoreline could have been even higher as ll had it not been for the excellent form of Matthewson in the City goal.

The Reds got the game underway attacking the packed Kop end in the first half. It was City though who mounted the first kind of attack towards their travelling fans. Godwin Antwi stepped in though to clear the danger before it got near Dave Roberts.

On six minutes Robbie Threlfall got a little bit too excited with his free kick which he sent sailing up the Kop. Just over a minute later and City keeper Matthewson was given quite a poor back pass which he just managed to clear with Flynn bearing down on him.

The Reds were starting to settle down now in the game and boss the play. On nine minutes Lindfield set up Paul Anderson who saw his overhead kick go just wide of the goal. Charlie Barnett and Ryan Flynn were gaining control through the middle of the pitch and it was allowing some good build up play for the Reds on either side of the pitch.

On seventeen minutes the Reds were awarded a free kick out on the left. Charlie Barnett whipped this in superbly and Antwi saw the ball just cleared from his head for a corner ball. A very big piece of the night was down to the sheer quality of the set piece balls Barnett played in. From this corner he whipped in to the near post where Robbie Threlfall headed down and then stabbed home the loose bal. The lead was very much deserved for the Reds.

The goal seemed to put life in to City and they went straight on the attack and so nearly got the scores level straight away. Etuhu somehow couldn't get the definitive touch on the ball and the chance went begging. Midway through the half and the Reds were on the attack once again. Paul Barratt crossed in and Flynn set Anderson up but his shot was deflected out for a corner.

Minutes later and a very fast move from the Reds gained them great ground. Anderson was set free down the right side and he looked up and squared a great cross for Barratt but his shot from six yards out was straight at the keeper. A great opportunity gone begging.

Dave Roberts was called in to action on twenty seven minutes and it was great reflexes that helped him out this time. A corner ball fell to Etuhu twelve yards out and he shot through a bunch of players but Roberts managed to save the shot.

The Red were two goals to the good just after the half hour and it was a fine bit of play from Paul Anderson once again that made it. Anderson intercepted a ball out right and ran inside with it. As he thought about shooting he saw Ryan Flynn coming in and set him u and without breaking stride Flynn side footed the ball home past the keeper.

It nearly got better just two minutes later when Barratt put Lindfield in down the right and his cross to Hammill was flicked just over the bar. Six minutes before half time and the Reds were on the attack again and Threlfall crossed in from the left side to Anderson who volleyed on goal. Once again though the keeper pulled off a good save and the chance went begging.

The two sides came out for the second half and this had been pretty much one way traffic so far with the Reds threatening to walk away with the final in this leg alone. To their credit though City dug deep and played well in the second half without creating a shed load of chances.

The Reds continued to create good chances though and just two minutes in Paul Anderson saw his header well saved on the line and luckily cleared away. On fifty six minutes there was a wake up call for the Reds as Sturridge hit the outside of the post from six yards. The striker had more time than he realised as the Reds' defence seemed to be at sixes and sevens.

On sixty three minutes Dave Roberts was called in to action as he saved a City shot from the edge of the area. The shot took a deflection on the way so Roberts had to adjust quickly. As he has shown en route to the final though Roberts is a decent keeper.

On seventy one minutes there was a real scare for the Reds from a City corner. It didn't seem a worry to begin with as it dropped for Darby to clear. His clearance though cannoned off a City player and flew towards goal but Antwi cleared off the line. Having not cleared the area a second shot came in which Antwi again cleared off the line and then a third shot was tipped around the post by Roberts.

On seventy five minutes there was a spectacular effort from Anderson which deserved a goal. Barratt crossed a great ball in and Anderson managed to find some room. He acrobatically volleyed a side scissor kick and connected superbly only to see the ball hit the bar and go to safety. This would have been a cracking goal had it gone in.

Mike Roque came on for Adam Hammill on seventy six minutes as the Reds seemed to aim to close the game off a bit more and protect the two goal cushion. Hammill had faded out of the game a lot though and the change was needed.

The Reds made it three nil on eighty three minutes thanks to that sub Roque. He rose unmarked to head home another quality Barnett corner. That goal could be the one that makes the second leg that bit harder for City to come back in and on the night it was all the Reds deserved. They had played some great football at times and created tonnes of chances.

With three minutes to go Jay Spearing was introduced for the cramped up Ryan Flynn. Spearing walked straight on and did exactly what he does best and bossed every player in to specific roles.

As the final whistle sounded the Reds celebrated a great game and a great lead in the first leg of the final. With the second leg just a week away the Reds have time to work on some specific game plan to ensure Stephen Darby gets his hands on the FA Youth Cup.

© Andy Philip, Liverweb 2006

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[Dr-Spion-Kop]

Quality!

[Scuba Steve]

Great analysis!

[7777]

What a right peg Charlie Barnet has aswell. Every corner and free kick was on the button

[steer]

thought godwin was man of the match.

did anyone see that city fan ejected by the police in the city end. unbelievable. 

[wadey-LFC]

that godwin looks boss played good last night also thought anderson and hammil were good aswel.

[Danny Boys Dad]

Match report from City's website:

Liverpool U18s 3-0 Manchester City U18s

Thursday April 13, 2006, 7.30pm
Anfield - Att: 12,744

Teams:

Liverpool:
Roberts, Roberts(c), Threlfall, Hobbs, Antwi, Barnett, Barnett, Flynn (Spearing 87), Lindfield, Anderson, Hammill (Roque 77).

Unused subs:
Mimms, Ryan, Nardiello.

Manchester City:
Matthewson; Obeng, Logan, Williamson, Breen; Williams, Marshall, Johnson(c), Moore (C.Evans 80); Etuhu, Sturridge.

Unused subs:
Daly, Vadon, Mouritsen, Clayton.

Goals:
1-0 Threlfall 18, 2-0 Flynn 32, 3-0 Roque 83

Bookings:
City:
Liverpool:

Match Report

City win the toss and force Liverpool to attack the Kop End in the first half and kick off with the same line-up that was victorious over Newcastle in the semi-final.

A huge crowd have turned out for this game and maybe as expected the home side made the better start early on.

And after much of the first 15 minutes had been played in the City half - the opening goal went the way of the home side.

A dangerous corner from the left was whipped in at pace, and as Obeng stretched to try and clear, Robbie Threlfall nipped in and fired home from close range on 18 minutes.

Things could have got worse for City and their vocal travelling fans on 26 minutes. Only a fantastic save from Matthewson denied former City man Paul Barrett from seven-yards out after Anderson's right-wing cross.

City reacted well and just a minute later twice had Liverpool on the rack. Firstly, Kelvin Etuhu drew a good save from Roberts after turning well, then the pressure continued to mount as Garry Breen shot wide when well placed inside the box.

Despite their pressure the next goal of the game went the way of the hosts again. Shaleum Logan's headed clearance only fell to the dangerous Anderson and his ball in was finished off by Ryan Flynn on 32 minutes.

City were rattled and almost conceded again just a minute later. This time Hammill put the ball over the bar from inside the box.

On 39 minutes, Matthewson was again called into action, this time a fine stop denied the fast becoming Man of the Match Paul Anderson.

The Blues fashioned a chance a minute before the break after good hold-up play by Sturridge gave Johnson the chance to fire goalwards. His shot deflected over for a City corner, which came to nothing.

All in all a half dominated by Liverpool in the main, and if it hadn't have been for a couple of important stops by Matthewson, the hosts could have been further in the lead.

HALF TIME: Liverpool 2-0 City

No changes at the break and certainly not in the Liverpool attempts to put the tie to bed. Just two minutes into the second half Matthewson kept out an Anderson header from close range as City looked for something to put themselves back into the match.

Blues first half-chance of the second 45 came from an ambitious effort by Logan from distance after 53 minutes, which just cleared Roberts' bar.

City had a fine chance on 57 minutes. Johnson's switched pass to the left found Moore, who in turn fed Sturridge, the striker turned well only to see his shot bounce wide off the left hand post.

City's youngster's were certainly brighter this half and in 64 minutes a fine ball from Etuhu released Sturridge down the left channel. As he ran on the ball bobbled up and he could only put the ball wide of the goal and into the Kop.

On 72 minutes the Liverpool area was like a shooting gallery as City had three quick chances. After a deflection bounced goalwards, Marshall's drive was blocked on the line, before Etuhu couldn't believe it as Roberts brilliantly turned his effort behind for a corner. City needed a goal after such a dominant spell.

The warning signs were there again for City though just moments later. Barratt's right-wing cross was acrobatically vollyed against the bar by Anderson and very nearly 2-1 almost became 3-0.

Sadly, after all their hard work in the second half it was 3-0 after 83 minutes. The substitute Roque heading home from six-yards after Barnett's corner from the right.

A deflated City couldn't grab a vital goal when it really mattered after the break and subsequently went 3-0 down. It'll be a big ask for the second leg - but City fans well know that at 3-0 down at half time of a cup tie they are not yet out of the running.

Your support will be needed at the City of Manchester Stadium a week tomorrow to cheer the Blues on.

FULL TIME: Liverpool 3-0 City

Leon Collins

[kopite-stu]

Can anyone tell me who nos 7, 8 & 9 were. Thought they all played superbly.

Godwin Antwi started off nervously but soon settled down and controlled the defence as though he was a first team regular. Liked the way the got to the by-line and got crosses in straight away. Think there is a lot of Steve Heighway in their style of play.
Fantastic save from the keeper and brilliant clearance off the line by Antwi.

Game not over yet cos City did look good in the 2nd half and those two lads up front were a bit of a handful. But you have to say it looks good.

Little bit dissapointed by the crowd. I was expecting ther to be around 20k there but those who stayed away missed something good for the future. Liked the look of Miki Roque when he came on.

[7777]

All the youngsters were making me laugh when City brought on their sub, Chedwyn Evans!

Go ed Ched lad

On me ed Ched

Cheder bob

[arfy05]

good win and promise for the future, these kids seem to play with enthusiasm and as if they have confidence in themsleves. Something the last generation didn't really have. Hope this is good for the future. Anderson looks boss and I really hope we can mature him for fist team material. I think Heighway should teach him his old style of play

[Simon-1973]

Great performance from the lads and well done. 3-0 is a smashing lead to take to the 2nd Leg at Man City so hopefully the boys can do it again and bring the Trophy home.

YNWA 

[Buster 'Hook Hand' Bluth]

Well done lads for winning the final, after City's spirited 2-0 comeback in the second leg.