Liverpool’s new boys combined to hand Arne Slot’s side a 3-1 win against Yokohama F Marinos in the second game of their pre-season tour of Asia today.
The match went ahead despite tsunami warnings in Japan and the Reds will be pleased it did after second half goals from Florian Wirtz and youngsters Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha saw Liverpool come from behind to secure victory.
Asahi Uenaka had put the hosts ahead but Wirtz levelled before former Bayer Leverkusen team-mate Jeremie Frimpong came off the bench to supply the cross for Nyoni’s strike. Ngumoha added a third late on with a lovely individual goal.
Hugo Ekitike made his Liverpool debut following his £69million move from Eintracht Frankfurt and showed flashes of quality – coming close to a goal with a clever backheeled effort before making way at half-time.
Gakpo looks bright for Liverpool
It was a welcome win for Slot’s side, who looked rusty in Saturday’s 4-2 defeat to AC Milan in Hong Kong.
There was a moving tribute to Diogo Jota, killed earlier this month in a car crash in Spain, before kick off and when the action did get underway, it was Liverpool who dominated possession against a team that sit 18th in the 20-team J.League.
Ekitike lined-up in an attacking XI that also contained Wirtz, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo.
And it was Gakpo that had the first chance for Liverpool with a curling effort that struck the right-hand post.
The Netherlands international came close again with a shot that was saved while Dominik Szoboszlai saw a chance smuggled clear by the home defence after he went round the goalkeeper.
Ekitike nearly scores a stunner
Ekitike almost broke the deadlock a minute later, cleverly diverting Conor Bradley’s low cross towards the target but seeing his effort well saved by home goalkeeper Park Il-Gyu.
At the other end, Reds goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was also looking assured.
Having dropped a clanger against Milan, the Georgian, who continues to stand in for Alisson while he addresses a personal issue in his native Brazil, produced a superb one-handed stop to keep out Jun Amano’s header.
Ekitike and Ryan Gravenberch were taken off at the break with Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones coming on but the changes failed to have an immediate effect with Yokohama taking the lead after 55 minutes.
Shock goal for Japanese hosts
A clever ball inside Ibrahima Konate picked out Uenaka and he made no mistake with a low, left-footed finish.
Japan international Wataru Endo came on for Virgil van Dijk to a hero’s reception and there was further cause for celebration for the large Liverpool support at the Nissan Stadium when Wirtz grabbed the equaliser with his first goal for the club.
No mistake from Wirtz as Liverpool turn the game around
A sweeping counter attack led by Jones and Salah resulted in the ball falling kindly for the Germany international in the box and he swept it into the left corner.
Slot made seven changes after 64 minutes and two of the players introduced combined for the third goal of a contest played out on an awful pitch.
Frimpong whipped over a trademark cross from the left and Nyoni stretched out his right leg to divert the ball home.
It was one-way traffic now as Liverpool swarmed forward and it came as no surprise when they scored again. Andy Robertson picked out 16-year-old Ngumoha and he ran from near the halfway line before cutting inside two defenders and firing a low shot into the bottom corner.
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2025-07-30 14:30:47
