Sixteen-year-old Rio Ngumoha enjoyed a dream Premier League debut on Monday, scoring a sensational winner deep into stoppage time to give Liverpool a dramatic 3-2 victory over 10-man Newcastle United. In a chaotic and unforgettable match at St. James' Park, Liverpool squandered a two-goal lead before the teenage substitute broke Newcastle's hearts in the 100th minute.
The match was played against the tense backdrop of Newcastle striker Alexander Isak's transfer saga, with the Swede wanting a move to Liverpool. The on-field drama quickly took over as Liverpool grabbed the lead against the run of play in the 35th minute through a sharp finish from Ryan Gravenberch. The situation worsened for Newcastle in first-half stoppage time when Anthony Gordon was shown a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Virgil van Dijk.
When Hugo Ekitike, a player Newcastle had also tried to sign, doubled Liverpool’s lead just 20 seconds into the second half, the contest seemed over. However, the reigning champions inexplicably lost control of the game. Despite having a numerical advantage, Liverpool's play became ragged, allowing a resilient and fired-up Newcastle side to claw their way back into the match.
Roared on by a boisterous home crowd, Newcastle mounted a heroic fightback. Bruno Guimaraes headed in a goal in the 57th minute to give his side a lifeline. The comeback was completed in the 88th minute when substitute William Osula seized on hesitant defending to slot the ball past Alisson and level the scores at 2-2. Despite being a man down and losing players to injury, Newcastle looked the more likely team to find a winner.
However, the final twist belonged to Liverpool's teenage debutant. Four minutes after coming off the bench, Rio Ngumoha swept home a first-time shot to seal the victory, becoming the fourth-youngest goalscorer in Premier League history. Liverpool manager Arne Slot was full of praise for the youngster. "It was a great goal for a 16-year-old," Slot said. "Rio can finish so well for his age... he is so confident." The stunning goal secured Liverpool's second win in two games, leaving them level on points with Arsenal and Tottenham.
