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Liverpool teen stuns Newcastle to stay perfect in EPL
AP • August 26th, 2025 10:25 am
Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha has scored a dramatic late goal to win a five-goal thriller at Newcastle | Photo: AP
Rio Ngumoha has come off the bench to snatch victory deep into added time as Premier League champions Liverpool edged past 10-man Newcastle on an astonishing night at St James' Park.
Fellow substitute Will Osula's first top-flight goal looked to have completed a famous comeback by the Magpies, who had Anthony Gordon sent off in the first half and trailed 2-0 seconds after the break.
However, Ngumoha's intervention in the 100th minute denied them a priceless point in the stunning 3-2 win.
"I did hear someone say afterwards in the dressing room that he would have taken a first touch, but he is so confident! For his age, he is a really good finisher." Arne Slot told Sky Sports after the game.
Teenage matchwinner Rio Ngumoha celebrates his goal with Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk | Photo: AP
The Reds were already leading through Ryan Gravenberch's 35th-minute strike against the run of play after surviving an early onslaught when Gordon was dismissed for a late challenge on Virgil van Dijk, and Hugo Ekitike's strike seconds after halftime looked to have killed Monday night's game off.
As the travelling fans sang "hand him over, Newcastle" - a reference to their club's pursuit of Alexander Isak - Bruno Guimaraes reduced the deficit with a 57th-minute header, and Osula's late equaliser sparked a frenzied conclusion.
In a frenetic start, the hosts exerted early pressure on a Reds defence featuring Dominik Szoboszlai as a makeshift right-back, although it was Nick Pope who had to make the game's first save, diving to his left to keep out Florian Wirtz's curled 14th-minute effort.
Alisson Becker was relieved to see Gordon's header from Harvey Barnes' 28th-minute cross just clear his crossbar, and Szobozslai did well to take the pace off the striker's stabbed attempt from an Anthony Elanga delivery to allow his goalkeeper to mop up seconds later.
But it was Liverpool, who had succeeded in taking some of the sting out of the game, who took the lead when Gravenberch's speculative 25-yard strike caught an unsighted Pope flat-footed as it sped into the bottom corner.
Ryan Gravenberch celebrates after scoring the Reds' opener on his return from suspension | Photo: AP
Curtis Jones failed to make meaningful contact with Mohamed Salah's first-time cross three minutes before the break, but his side's cause was boosted significantly in first-half added time when, after referee Simon Hooper was asked to review of Gordon's challenge on Van Dijk, he sent off the frontman for serious foul play.
The Magpies' task grew in difficulty within 23 seconds when Ekitike - the man they tried to sign before Liverpool snapped him up - was allowed time and space to fire home off the foot of Pope's right post.
Newcastle gave themselves hope when Guimaraes climbed above Milos Kerkez at the far post to head the excellent Tino Livramento's cross into the bottom corner and breathe new life into the contest.
The 11 men became increasingly jittery as Newcastle pushed for an equaliser, and they were undone with two minutes remaining when Osula ran on to Pope's long free kick and steered a first-time shot past the advancing Alisson, only for Premier League debutant Ngumoha to claim victory at the death.
