Preston North End thrash Liverpool in FA Youth Cup as Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile shines in win
A place in round four secured in style by PNE
Preston North End Under-18s beat Liverpool 4-1 in the third round of the FA Youth Cup, on Friday night.
It took just eight minutes for the hosts to hit the front - and when the ball dropped for Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile, he never really looked like missing. It was Johnny Brindle's cross from the right which evaded everyone and dropped kindly for the PNE front man - who has been linked with the Reds previously. He brought the ball down on his chest and rifled home in clinical fashion.
Liverpool's play in and around the Preston box was patient and pretty, but the Reds struggled to create anything clear-cut in the way of chances. Meanwhile, North End remained a threat at the other end. And, on 25 minutes, they doubled their advantage through captain Max Wilson - whose fierce strike from the edge of the box cannoned in off the post, after a slight deflection.
Things would get better before the break, and in serious style too. Theo Mawene has been in and around the first team during the last year and a moment of pure quality from him made it three. Mawene, whose close control stood out all evening, wormed his way in from the left and unleashed a ferocious effort, into the top left corner, from distance.
Preston deserved their significant half-time advantage and there was no let up when play resumed. Having remained organised and kept Liverpool out in the opening exchanges of the second half, the game was killed on the hour-mark - with Rodriguez-Gentile influential once again. He jinked his way into the box and to the byline, before cutting the ball back for Dylan Gairns to smash home.
The Reds had been limited and frustrated all evening, but they did manage to find a way through seven minutes from time - when a low cross dropped for Clae Ewing at the back post and he made no mistake with the first time finish. But, PNE stood firm after that and had a couple of chances to add a fifth. A wonderful night for North End's young guns, with Liverpool knocked out and a place in round four of the competition secured emphatically.