Liverpool U19s ensured their European adventure lives on after they defeated FC Porto in a UEFA Youth League classic at Kirkby on Wednesday evening.
Despite falling a goal behind to their Portuguese counterparts after just six minutes, Barry Lewtas' side delivered an emphatic response in the second half as Melkamu Frauendorf drilled home a low-driven cross from Ben Doak on 55 minutes.
Although the young Reds failed to edge themselves ahead as they ramped up the pressure on their opponents with the game entering its final stages, Liverpool secured an encounter with Sporting CP in Lisbon next month after a 6-5 penalty shoot-out victory.
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Ben Doak shines
Due to the nature of Ben Doak's soaring rise through the Liverpool ranks since signing from Celtic for a mere £600,000 last summer, the Scotland youth international has become one of the most frequently talked about talents in the country.
That status was underlined by those in attendance at the Academy on Wednesday night as Doak, despite enduring a challenging night by his own impeccable standards due to Porto's fierce man-marking tactics, lifted spectators to their feet with his sublime close control, footwork and willingness to engage in duals during the 90 minutes.
In particular, there was a moment midway through the second half when the forward, just moments after plating up an assist for Frauendorf, took the ball on the inside turn and charged in-field towards the Porto goal.
And for the period of four or five seconds that followed when the 17-year-old thrust the ball ahead of his opponents as if he was their high school older who had stolen their ball on the playground, he left a queue of dark blue shirts in his wake as he made a blistering charge toward the 18-yard box.
And although that passage of play was not ended with a goal from any of his team-mates, it was a sequence that aptly summed up Doak's superiority at this level and once again vindicated Jurgen Klopp's decision to promote him to the Liverpool first-team at such a delicate age.
"Oh he was a handful, wasn't he?" said Lewtas of Doak's performance after the game. "We knew we could be really dominant on the sides, like we were at the weekend, with both Ben and Mel (Frauendorf).
"He was a real handful for Porto. [He] plays on the edge. He was probably a little disappointed he didn't get a goal for his work, but I thought he was excellent."
His performances for Lewtas' young Reds and astute cameos for the first-team since making his debut in November suggest Scotland manager Steve Clarke has an intriguing dilemma to contemplate in the weeks ahead of the Tartan Army's European qualifying fixtures against Cyprus and Spain later this month.
Of course, there is no rush to thrust Doak into the national spotlight at such a youthful age, but his unmistakable talent would make him a serious option for Scotland as they look to start their qualification for the 2024 European Championships in an assertive manner.
Jonas and Co putting in the Miles
While the record books will have Liverpool's U19s down as failing to acquire a third European clean sheet of the season during the victory, Lee Jonas and Terence Miles starred as Lewtas' side advanced to the last-eight of the continent's premier youth competition.
For the young Reds, the January transfer window was one of transition as they temporarily waved goodbye to captain Jarell Quansah, who joined League One outfit Bristol Rovers on a season-long loan. That meant heading into Wednesday's contest against Porto, all eyes were on how the newly-formed defensive partnership of Jonas, who has deputised as a full-back in the Youth League this term, and Miles would fare.
Despite seeing their guard breached after a controversial penalty was awarded early, the centre-halves rose to the challenge at stake as Lewtas' side secured victory on another unforgettable night at the Academy.
After eventually finding their groove in the second half, Liverpool's willingness to hunt for a second goal saw Jonas and Miles isolated in transition on multiple occasions and required immense decision-making and precise challenges from the pair to stop the visitors from leaving Kirkby with the ultimate smash-and-grab skit.
"Lee has been superb all season and probably deserves a little bit more recognition," Lewtas told the ECHO. "He's played at right-back quite a lot and sometimes there are other players who can steal the show. He's gone about his work really quietly. I think today you saw, in his own age group, he was extremely dominant. Really good in the air and assured in possession.
"It was a really good night for him."
On Jonas and Miles as a pair, Lewtas added: "We made a little change just before we had to play, so from what we did yesterday it was a big change to the backline. So in terms of how they defended, I thought they were really good."
Champagne on ice?
Wednesday's dramatic victory means Liverpool have once again equalled their best-ever run in the UEFA Youth League and will, like the classes of 2018 and 2022, have a shot at making it to the semi-finals in late April.
It's an achievement that highlights just how well the Reds are progressing as an academy, with Clark, Doak, Frauendorf and Harvey Davies - who all started against Porto - having experienced some kind of involvement with the senior side in recent months.
Next up will be a trip to Lisbon to face Sporting CP, who thrashed Ajax 5-1 in the afternoon's early kick-off, as Lewtas' class of 2023 hope to make Anfield history and become the first Liverpool side to make the final four.
They will, however, be tasked with securing victory in Portugal without forward Lewis Koumas, who was one of three players sent off during a mass post-match brawl. But Lewtas will hope he is able to welcome back top goal-scorer Oakley Cannonier for the all-important quarter-final clash next month.
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