U21 match report: Liverpool beaten on penalties in PL2 play-off at Tottenham

Lewis Koumas finished off a smart team move to give Barry Lewtas’ Reds the lead at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday night.

Jamie Donley’s audacious long-range goal equalized and a brace from Tyrese Hall either side of the interval put Spurs clear but the visitors restored parity through own goals from Alfie Dorrington and James Norris.

Both teams had opportunities in extra time, but the score remained 3-3, that is, on penalty kicks – which Tottenham won 5-4.

Liverpool made a confident start in the capital and their early vigor was rewarded with the opener on 11 minutes.

Trey Nyoni’s vision and technique combined for a pass that slipped through Norris’s burst into the box on the left and his pinpoint cross into the middle was hidden by Koumas from yards out.

Tails up, the Reds brought in Koumas again soon after. Kieran Morrison intercepted a pass and slotted a good ball behind for the scorer, who this time had the ball slightly blocked under his feet and could only send a tame effort into the keeper’s gloves.

Spurs – who finished the regular season top of the table – then began to respond, Hall firing wide and Yago Santiago well deflected when found in a good position from a cut-back.

And they equalized with 26 on the clock through some remarkable skill.

Donley collected the ball from Nyoni and from 40 yards, after spotting Fabian Mrozek off his line, he lifted a clinical effort over the Liverpool keeper and under the bar.

Instantly from the restart, Hall’s first touch from Nile John’s angled pass took him into space inside the box, but his low shot over Mrozek was well saved.

It was a short-lived respite though as the home side went ahead on 36.

Donley controlled a blistering pass down the middle from the flank and fed the ball into Hall’s supporting run from his right, who coolly finished past the oncoming Mrozek.

The Reds could have pulled one back before the break, only for Luca Gunter to deflect Nyoni’s driven shot after a dangerous dribble.

Lewtas’ charges got off to a positive start again as the second half began, although Spurs extended their lead in the 47th minute.

John’s lofted cross from right to left was nodded on by Will Lankshear in the area and Hall slotted the ball into the roof of the net with no chance for Mrozek.

Donley then struck a shot against the Reds’ crossbar after a forward pass deflected off two Liverpool players and landed kindly for him.

The visitors swung the momentum as they battled for a lifeline.

Gunter beat Norris’s burst when the defender was sent sprinting behind by Koumas’ back-heel, before the latter was wide of the goal after clipping a pass from the opposition keeper and trying to find the exposed net from distance .

And they set up a fascinating finish by reducing the deficit on 72 minutes.

After a short corner, Josh Davidson went on a brilliant run down the left touchline and his delivery to Carter Pinnington in the center curled over the line, the final touch coming from Alfie Dorrington.

Ten minutes later, they deservedly equalized. Norris stole possession from George Abbott up top, got into the box and fired a safe diagonal past Gunter.

Any winning goal before the end of normal time looked to be Liverpool’s, with Gunter tipping a Morrison cutter around the post and blocking Koumas in stoppage time.

But half an hour of extra time followed, during which the away side’s best chance fell to Amara Nallo, who got too far from Wellity Lucky’s shot.

Mrozek made a couple of vital stops to keep a revitalized Tottenham at bay late on, so spot kicks were needed to decide their place in the semi-final.

Nine out of 10 penalties were converted, with Norris the only unlucky one to be denied, meaning the hosts progressed to the next stage.

TEAM

Liverpool U21: Mrozek, Miles, Norris, Nallo, Pinnington, Pilling, Morrison, Davidson, Koumas, Nyoni (Lucky, 106), Laffey (Stephenson, 71).

Unused substitutions: O. Kelly, Spearing.