Liverpool U19s secured a 4-2 victory against LASK U19s in Austria after Will Wright scored a hat-trick and 15-year-old Luca Eden netted in a dramatic second-half comeback during their UEFA Youth League match.
Austria Comeback Transforms Opening Deficit
Rob Page’s side faced a difficult start at the Waldstadion Stadium in Pasching, falling two goals behind before mounting a fierce response. LASK grabbed the lead in the 23rd minute when Paul Krapf headed in from close range after a long throw-in from the right. The Austrian hosts doubled their advantage shortly after the interval as Jonas Ilk converted from a corner kick.
Liverpool struggled to establish early control. Goalkeeper Bailey Hall was called into action early, and Luca Ortner later hit the woodwork when through on goal, narrowly missing a third strike that would have put the match out of reach. That missed opportunity proved to be a turning point for the visiting side.
Will Wright Leads Second-Half Rally
The momentum shifted when Will Wright scored twice in three minutes to pull the visitors level. The 18-year-old striker first ran onto a through ball behind the defense, showing strength, balance and composure to slot past the goalkeeper, before glancing in a header from a curling delivery into the middle from the left on the hour mark.
Wright then shifted from scorer to creator in the 84th minute. After rounding the goalkeeper from Erik Farkas’ threaded pass, he squared the ball to 15-year-old Luca Eden, who slotted in from inside the box. Eden’s milestone goal made him the second-youngest English goalscorer in the competition following Arsenal’s Max Dowman.
Penalty Seals Match and Group Standings
With the score at 3-2, Liverpool put the result beyond doubt when AJ Yeguo was fouled inside the penalty area. Wright stepped up to take the spot-kick, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from 12 yards out to complete his hat-trick and seal all three points.
The victory brings Liverpool to four points from their opening two fixtures in the UEFA Youth League tournament, following a 2-2 draw against Atletico Madrid in September.
Upcoming Fixture at Kirkby Academy
Liverpool turn their focus toward their next European fixture on matchday three. The team hosts Villarreal at the Kirkby Academy, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm BST on October 20.
