Layton Stewart’s 86th-minute equaliser earned Liverpool U19s a deserved 1-1 draw with Napoli in Tuesday’s UEFA Youth League opener.
The young Reds, who fell behind to Andrea Mancino’s goal just before the half-hour point, dominated the second half of the Group E fixture at a sweltering Stadio Pasquale Ianniello and had hit the woodwork twice prior to Stewart’s late intervention.
Neco Williams struck the crossbar with a header not long before Mancino’s opener, and Leighton Clarkson blasted against the post as Barry Lewtas’ team streamed forward in search of a leveller after the break.
And it was substitute Stewart who finally provided the elusive goal on the occasion of his European debut for Liverpool, the 17-year-old sliding in a fine improvised finish at the back post after good work from Harvey Elliott.