The prodigious Keyrol Figueroa scored three times in 13 minutes for the Liverpool under-18s as they beat Wolves 3-0 at the AXA Training Centre.
Liverpool U18s 3-0 Wolves U18s
U18 Premier League, AXA Training Centre
April 1, 2023
Goals: Figueroa 16′ 21′ 29′
It was a chastening afternoon for Liverpool’s first team as they lost 4-1 at Man City, but back on Merseyside there was at least a glimmer of positivity.
That came in the form of Figueroa – a familiar name due to his father, Maynor – and the U18s’ 3-0 victory over Wolves.
With injuries and the under-21s playing the night before, manager Marc Bridge-Wilkinson was forced to field a very young side, including under-16s centre-backs Luca Furnell-Gill and Lucas Pitt.
But there was excitement in the attack, with Figueroa taking his place alongside Lewis Koumas and Jayden Danns – two others whose fathers also played in the Premier League.
After seven goals in seven games with the United States at the CONCACAF U17 Championship, the 16-year-old has begun to show his potential with his club.
That culminated in a trio of goals in 13 first-half minutes in Kirkby: the first a comfortable finish, the second a looping header and the third punishing an error from goalkeeper Stan Amos.
It came on a difficult afternoon for Wolves, who saw Testimony Igbinoghene dealt a straight red card for his challenge on Michael Laffey.
Liverpool had a number of other opportunities too, not least through Koumas, but they were left to settle for a 3-0 victory and a welcome three points.
For club and country so far this season, Figueroa has now scored 12 goals in 18 games, of which only seven came as a starter.
Liverpool U18s: Mrozek; Davidson (Roberts 87′), Furnell-Gill, Pitt, Scanlon; Laffey, Onanuga, Kelly (Osborne 70′); Danns, Figueroa (Gift 78′), Koumas
Subs not used: Hewitson, Hayes-Green
Next match: Newcastle (A) – U18 Premier League – Tuesday, April 11, 11am (BST)