Rio Ngumoha impresses as Liverpool 16-year-old striker scores again

Summer signing Rio Ngumoha impressed as a strong Liverpool under-18s side earned victory over Stoke City on Saturday. Kareem Ahmed and Josh Sonni-Lambie were on target as the young Reds won 2-0 at the Academy in Kirkby to move further away from the foot of the U18 Premier League North.

Ngumoha, who was brought in from Chelsea, was joined in the starting line-up by U21 midfielder Trey Nyoni and centre-back Carter Pinnington, and a dominant performance allowed Marc Bridge-Wilkinson's side to keep their first clean sheet since February.

With Nyoni pulling the strings in midfield, Liverpool had the better of the first half. Sonni-Lambie flicked the ball on to the post after excellent work by Ngumoha down the left wing, Ahmed fired over from a good position and Lucas Pitt was also off target after Joe Bradshaw had a shot saved.

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And they deservedly went ahead three minutes after the break when Ngumoha played a one-two with Clae Ewing down the left before crossing low from the byline for Ahmed to prod in at the near post.

Stoke were almost gifted a way back into the game when Connor Day shot over after being inadvertently sent clear by a square pass from Liverpool centre-back Louis Enahoro-Marcus, while Raphael-Pijus Otegbayo headed a corner against the post.

But the Reds were always a threat going forward and doubled their lead on 72 minutes after superb work from left-back Ewing released Bradshaw inside the area and his pull-back was tucked away by Sonni-Lambie for the 16-year-old's sixth goal of the season.

Liverpool U18s are next in action on Saturday, November 23 when they are at Birmingham City in the U18 Premier League Cup (kick-off 12pm).

LIVERPOOL U18s (4-2-3-1): Hall; Pitt, Pinnington, Enahoro-Marcus, Ewing; Nyoni, O'Connor (Lonmeni 70); Bradshaw, Ahmed, Ngumoha; Sonni-Lambie. Subs: Bernard, Evers, Furnell-Gill, Martin. BOOKED: Pinnington.