Liverpool’s Josh Sonni-Lambie struck late to secure a 3-2 win at Man City for the U18s, with a 15-year-old also getting his name on the scoresheet.

Man City U18s 2-3 Liverpool U18s

U18 Premier LeagueCity Football Academy
October 18, 2025

Goals: Samb 12′, Wain 67′; Sonni-Lambie 9′, 85′, Abe 65′

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Liverpool’s U18s returned from the international break with a trip to early league leaders City, and led three different times throughout the match.

It was a game not short on goal-scoring opportunities, but Simon Wiles’ young Reds struck first via Sonni-Lambie after just nine minutes.

Fifteen-year-old Joshua Abe impressively won possession to set the goal in motion, with an eventual cross setting up an easy tap-in for Sonni-Lambie at the back post to make it 1-0.

The lead lasted only a couple of minutes as Floyd Samba, son of former Blackburn Rovers defender Christopher Samba, levelled for the hosts from the edge of the box.

AJ Yeguo then struck the post for Liverpool while Bailey Hall made a couple of important saves at the other end to see the scores level at the break.

HT: Man City U18s 1-1 Liverpool U18s

Three goals came in the second half but, importantly for Liverpool, they were responsible for two for their fourth victory in six league games.

Lee Forrester had peppered the City goalkeeper at the start of the second 45, but it was Abe who turned from provider to finisher just after the hour mark.

It was just rewards for the youngster who, again, won possession before driving forward and setting up Sonni-Lambie for a shot. The shot was parried away and Abe was there to convert the rebound from close range.

Josh Abe’s first goal for Liverpool U18 against Manchester City pic.twitter.com/138rGX7zjR

— Lewis Bower (@LewisBower2021) October 18, 2025

Liverpool, however, fell to the same mistake as the first half, conceding just two minutes after taking the lead as Jake Wain took advantage of a scrappy clearance.

City then twice hit the woodwork while Sonni-Lambie and substitute Haydn Murray-Holme had attempts to restore Liverpool’s lead in a back-and-forth contest.

The winner, though, eventually arrived, and in impressive fashion in the 85th minute.

Murray-Holme, from inside his own half, lifted a pass over City’s defence to the advantage of Sonni-Lambie, who got his toe on the ball and dinked it over the onrushing goalkeeper.

It sealed a 3-2 win for Liverpool and their first over City in the U18s Premier League in over six years, with that last win coming in April 2019.

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Liverpool U18s: Hall; Conde, Ayman, Cisse, Clarke; Upton, Hickman, Yeguo (O’Connor 78′); Abe (Murray-Holme 83′), Sonni-Lambie, Forrester

Subs not used: Bernard, Owen, Wain