Fulham’s under 18s made it two wins out of two in the Premier League Cup with a thrilling 5-3 win at Liverpool earlier this afternoon.

The Whites, who had beaten Newcastle 3-2 at Motspur Park at the start of September, went in front through Callum Osmand’s early drive but had to show serious character after being rocked by swift strikes from Trey Nyoni and Jayden Danns that put the hosts ahead. It took Ali Melloul’s men just two minutes to draw level courtesy of a fine free-kick from Jonathan Esenga and the visitors could easily have headed into half-time ahead having twice rattled the woodwork.

Fulham put clear water between themselves and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s outfit with a fine display of football in the second half. Winger Lemar Gordon fired the Londoners ahead after being teed up by Tom Olyott, who added a fourth from Aaron Loupalo-Bi’s assist sixteen minutes from time. With Liverpool pushing for a route back into the contest, England youth international Chibby Nwoko made it five with five minutes to play after lovely approach play from Jayden Quashie and Farhaan Ali Wahid.

The Reds did get a goal back in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Wellity Lucky headed home a corner from Michael Laffey’s corner – but this was a thoroughly professional performance that puts the Cottagers firmly in control of proceedings at the top of Group G.

An open game was to be expected between two sides who seek to play attractive, expansive football but this encounter was end-to-end from the outset. Fulham escaped early on when Keyrol Figueroa’s ball in flashed across the area but it was the away side who fashioned the first chance when Olyott extended Liverpool goalkeeper Kornel Misciur with an early sighter. In-form Osmand fired Fulham ahead with a lovely low strike in the thirteenth minute – finding the far corner with precision from the edge of the box.

Liverpool responded within four minutes with a sublime solo goal from Nyoni. The sixteen year-old, a summer signing from Leicester City, powered past several white shirts into the penalty area, jinking inside another defender and guided a glorious finish past the helpless Dino Kaiser. Worse was to follow for Fulham when Nyoni floated a fabulous ball over the defence for Danns to dash onto. The centre-forward skipped round a stranded Kaiser and slotted home from a tight angle – keeping him his astonishing record of scoring in every Liverpool under-18 fixture he has featured in this term.

Esenga brought Fulham level with a wonderful left-footed free-kick and the Whites laid siege to the Liverpool goal before the interval – twice hitting the woodwork before Loupalo-Bi was denied by a smart save from Misciur – in an enthralling end to the half. The home side had two goals disallowed early in the second period. Figueroa finished impeccably but his effort was chalked off due to an offside in the build-up, whilst the assistant referee’s flag ruled out a Lucky header as Ben Trueman’s corner had drifted out of play.

Fulham made the most of their fortune and could have restored their lead through the impressive Josh King. The talented midfielder’s rising drive was terrifically tipped over by Misciur but the Whites were now finding space behind the home defence. Olyott unlocked the Liverpool back line – allowing Gordon to lash the Londoners into the lead in the 63rd minute and then gave Melloul’s men some breathing space when he prodded Loupalo-Bi’s lay-off past Misciur to make it 4-2. A lovely move saw substitute Nwoko put the game beyond the Reds, notwithstanding Lucky’s late header.

LIVERPOOL UNDER 18s (4-3-3): Misciur; Pitt, Gyimah, Lucky, Laffey; Trueman (Furnell-Gill 62), Onanuga, Nyoni; Morrison (Pennington 89), Figueroa (Bradshaw 69), Danns. Subs (not used): Morana, Kelly.

BOOKED: Misciur.

GOALS: Nyoni (17), Danns (26), Lucky (90+4).

FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Kaiser; de Jesus, Slade (Park 86), Esenga, Tabares; Gofford (Nwoko 69), King; Olyott (Ali Wahid 76), Gordon, Osmand (Quashie 76); Loupalo-Bi. Subs (not used): Varney.

BOOKED: Esenga, Gordon, King.

GOALS: Osmand (13), Esenga (29), Gordon (63), Olyott (74), Nwoko (85).

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