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Keyrol Figueroa of Liverpool celebrates scoring Liverpool's third goal during the UEFA Youth League game at AXA Melwood Training Centre (Image: 2024 Liverpool FC)

Liverpool Under-21s fought out a respectable 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic's first team in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the academy in Kirkby on Tuesday (July 22).

Keyrol Figueroa cancelled out Paul Mullin’s opener during a competitive encounter between the two sides.

The young Reds started brightly with both Kieran Morrison and Kaide Gordon going close early on after fine individual runs, only to see their strikes blocked by a Wigan defence which included James Carragher, son of Liverpool legend Jamie.

Trent Kone-Doherty could have fired the Reds ahead shortly before the interval as he ran onto a ball over the top.

But he was unable to find the back of the net after rounding the goalkeeper as his shot from a tight angle was kept out.

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Former Wigan loanee Calvin Ramsay and Rhys Williams were both introduced at half-time, with the deadlock then broken on the hour-mark.

Wigan opened the scoring as Liverpool-born striker Mullin, who joined the Latics from newly-promoted Championship outfit Wrexham, got on the end of a cross from the left-wing.

However, Liverpool equalised almost immediately as Figueroa, son of former Wigan defender Maynor, made an instant impact following his own introduction from the bench.

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The forward cut inside and found the bottom corner after being picked out by Carter Pinnington.

There was little to separate the two sides during the final half-hour, though goalkeeper Bailey Hall did have to produce a strong save later on to ensure the scores remained level.

The young Reds remain unbeaten in pre-season under new head coach Rob Page, having thrashed Celtic 8-0 on Saturday.

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Liverpool Under-21s lost 6-0 at the DW Stadium when last facing Wigan in a pre-season friendly back in July 2022, while they previously fell to a 6-1 loss against the Latics in the Football League Trophy back in September 2020.

Having progressed to the knockout stages of the Football League Trophy only once since first entering the tournament in 2019/20, claiming one win and three draws from their 19 outings in the competition, Page’s side can take credit from their hard-fought draw against senior Football League opposition.

Liverpool U21s: Hall, Mabaya (Ramsay, 46), Lucky (Williams, 46), Nallo (Pinnington, 60), Miles (Pitt, 60), Pilling (Onanuga, 60), Gordon (Cannonier, 60), Laffey (Davidson, 66), Koumas (Figueroa, 60), Morrison (Balagizi, 60), Kone-Doherty.


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