Virtue's wonder strike earns U21s Spurs draw
A stunning strike from Matty Virtue earned Liverpool U21s a more than deserved point as the young Reds held Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-1 draw at Stevenage Borough on Friday night.
Trailing to a seventh-minute opener from Anton Walkes, Michael Beale’s young team showed fantastic character and spirit, and drew level with a glorious right-footed effort from Virtue, who fired the ball into the top corner of the net from 22 yards out.
With the likes of Cameron Brannagan, Joao Carlos Teixeira, Connor Randall, Jerome Sinclair and Pedro Chirivella all training with the first team at Melwood, Beale fielded a very young and inexperienced side, with 16-year-old Toni Gomes making his first start at U21 level.
Ugo Ehiogu’s team had started brightly, with lively wingers Anthony Georgiou and Keanan Bennetts having good moments, but once the young Reds got to grips with their threat, they dug deep and could easily have gone on to win the game.
A big factor in why they didn’t get the three points was the obstacle of the Tottenham goalkeeper Thomas Glover, who was simply magnificent.
Australian youth international Glover denied Madger Gomes in the first half and also kept out a close-range effort from Toni Gomes.
In the second half, Glover made an astonishing save to somehow dive full length and keep out Madger Gomes’ goalbound header following a superb cross from Yan Dhanda.
The Spurs stopper was again the hero for his side as Liverpool fought hard to get the winner as he denied Paulo Alves from close range, before Will Marsh could only fire the rebound wide of the target.
Overall, there were a lot of positives for Beale to take from the night. Dhanda, only 16 and playing just his second game at U21 level, was a constant threat, while at the back Tom Brewitt and Dan Cleary were excellent.
Liverpool U21s: Fulton, Whelan, Hart (Alves 75), Cleary, Brewitt, Masterson, Dhanda, Virtue (Polgar 60), T Gomes (Marsh 60), O’Hanlon, M Gomes. Unused substitute: Firth.