Ngumoha Becomes Liverpool's Youngest European Assist Provider as Reds Beat Villarreal 4-3
Rio Ngumoha became Liverpool's youngest player to provide an assist in European competition, at 18 years and 52 days, as the Reds came from 2-0 down to beat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield on Tuesday, October 20, in the Champions League. The teenage winger set up two goals and was named the standout performer of a seven-goal thriller.
Ngumoha's first assist also made him the youngest Liverpool player to score or assist in the Champions League. He passed Michael Owen's record of 18 years and 324 days. By providing two assists in the same match, he also became the third-youngest player to do that in a Champions League game, after Warren Zaïre-Emery and Theo Walcott.
Liverpool had a terrible start. Georges Mikautadze scored in the fourth minute, after a poor header from Virgil van Dijk. It was the earliest Liverpool had fallen behind at Anfield in a major European tie for 25 years. Sergi Cardona raced through to finish a slick Villarreal move in the 29th minute, to make it 2-0.
The comeback began in the 36th minute, when Alexis Mac Allister headed in a corner from Kostas Tsimikas. Ngumoha then created the equaliser in first-half stoppage time. He delivered a delicate chip into the box, and Ronald Araújo ghosted in at the far post, behind Cardona, to head home and make it 2-2.
Ngumoha's dribbling was decisive after the break. His wing play opened up the Villarreal defence, and Mac Allister finished off the move in the 65th minute. Substitute Florian Wirtz made it 4-2 three minutes later with a low, left-footed finish past goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi. Tani Oluwaseyi scored for Villarreal in the 87th minute to set up a nervous finish, but Liverpool held on.
Ngumoha finished with two assists and seven successful dribbles. He told Amazon Prime that it was up there with one of the best games he has played. Coach Andoni Iraola praised his decision not to go down when he could have won a penalty, and said he was very difficult to stop when he got one-on-one situations. Iraola also pointed out that he is only 18 and still not the finished product. Villarreal coach Iñigo Pérez said Ngumoha had a great game.
The win gives Liverpool three wins from three in this season's Champions League. They have conceded three goals in each of their last two games in the competition.