Liverpool delivered an impressive 4-1 win over Athletic Club in a preseason friendly, with 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha emerging as the standout player. Ngumoha opened the scoring with a stunning strike from outside the box after a ball recovery by Alexis Mac Allister, igniting the Anfield crowd. Shortly after, Ngumoha provided the assist for Darwin Núñez’s goal, showcasing his potential impact for the defending Premier League champions this season.

The match paused in the 20th minute to pay tribute to former Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who tragically passed away earlier in July. This emotional homage followed a similar tribute before kickoff.

Athletic Club pressed Liverpool’s makeshift defense at times, particularly on counterattacks, but Liverpool controlled much of the game. Teenager Ben Doak contributed as well, creating a right-footed shot that resulted in an own goal credited to Athletic Club’s goalkeeper Álex Padilla.

The game saw multiple substitutions in the second half, with academy talents gaining valuable minutes, including Ármin Pécsi replacing goalkeeper Woodman and Jayden Danns and Wellity Lucky coming on for Mac Allister and Doak respectively. Other young players like Trent Kone-Doherty, Tommy Piling, Lewis Kousmas, and Michael Laffey also featured, emphasizing Liverpool’s youth involvement in this preseason fixture.

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