New Delhi: Teenager Rio Ngumoha made a dream English Premier League debut as he scored the late winner in Liverpool’s 3-2 win over Newcastle United.
The 16-year-old cme off the bench and netted with a first-time right-footer in the 10th minute of added time to become Liverpool’s youngest ever scorer and the fourth youngest in EPL history.
Newcastle’s build-up to the game had been dominated by wantaway striker Alexander Isak’s absence, who wants to join Liverpool but they fought back from a two-goal deficit despite having Anthony Gordon sent off with a red card in first-half stoppage time.
“We know there was a lot of oil on the fire this week to get Newcastle fired up,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said.
“I enjoy these type of atmospheres, so I was really looking forward to it but we could’ve made it easier. We gave them the boost and the feeling and the drive with the fans behind them but we managed to get the three points and move on.”
Newcastle began on the front foot and in the first half an hour forced Liverpool to soak up pressure before going ahead against the run of play through Ryan Gravenberch’s ow shot after cutting in from the left in the 35th minute.
Gordon was then given his marching orders for a dangerous tackle on van Dijk’s calf and compounding Newcastle’s woes was Hugo Ekitike, who scored 20 seconds after the resumption of play from the break with a side-foot finish.
Heartbreak for Newcastle
It seemed that Newcastle were down and out, but Bruno Guimaraes header in the 57th minute revitalised the St James Park crowd and a shaky Liverpool conceded again in the 88th minute as William Osula pounced on defensive indecisiveness to complete a close-range finish.
Inspite of being a man down, Newcastle looked like the more likely team to grab the winners but Ngumoha’s fairytale debut broke their heart and made it two consecutive wins for the defending champions.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool joined Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur on six points while Newcastle have only a point from their opening two games.
“Second half we had a mountain to climb at 2-0 down with 10 men but I thought we controlled the game,” Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said.
“I thought we were really good and fought our way back unbelievably well but couldn’t get over the line.”