Liverpool collapse in Chicago: Leeds score four in 25 minutes to hand Iraola first defeat
Liverpool led 2-0 at half-time through Luke Chambers and Florian Wirtz before conceding four times in a 25-minute second-half spell at Soldier Field, exposing defensive frailties Andoni Iraola must fix before the Premier League opener at Newcastle on August 23.
First-half control
Liverpool produced arguably their best 45 minutes under new manager Andoni Iraola, taking a 2-0 lead into the break at Soldier Field. Luke Chambers opened the scoring in the seventh minute, lashing in from close range after Milos Kerkez flicked on a Dominik Szoboszlai corner. Florian Wirtz, making his first appearance since the World Cup, doubled the advantage five minutes before half-time, converting a cross from Jeremie Frimpong. Alexander Isak, also returning after World Cup duty, led the pressing game with an aggression that suggested his fitness is ahead of schedule after a disrupted first season at Anfield. The 49,128 crowd on the edge of Lake Michigan saw Iraola's ideas taking shape through the interplay of Wirtz and Isak.
The collapse
Everything unravelled after the interval. Iraola made a raft of changes, withdrawing Wirtz, Isak, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha, and Leeds seized on the disruption. Brenden Aaronson pulled one back on the hour mark, and three more goals followed in a 13-minute burst. Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored twice (71st and 85th minutes), both from near-identical long-throw routines: Ethan Ampadu launched the ball into the box, a centre-back flicked it on, and the striker finished at the far post. Sean Longstaff added the fourth. Liverpool conceded four times in 25 minutes without reply.
We conceded two goals from set-pieces. We have to fix that and make sure we deal with them better.
Leeds's aerial weapon
Ethan Ampadu's long throws were the common thread across the full 90 minutes. From the second minute, his touchline launches caused chaos in the Liverpool box. Centre-backs Joe Rodon, Tarik Muharemovic and Sebastiaan Bornauw, all between 6ft 3in and 6ft 4in, repeatedly won first contact. The summer departure of Pascal Struijk had raised concerns about Leeds's set-piece threat, but Muharemovic, his replacement, was dangerous throughout. The second and fourth goals were virtually identical: throw, flick-on, Calvert-Lewin finish. Leeds have now lost only five of their last 25 Premier League games, and the hallmarks of Daniel Farke's system were on full display in Illinois.
- Luke Chambers puts Liverpool ahead from a Szoboszlai corner flicked on by Kerkez
- Florian Wirtz doubles the lead, converting a Frimpong cross on his first post-World Cup appearance
- Iraola makes multiple changes, withdrawing Wirtz, Isak, Nyoni and Ngumoha
- Brenden Aaronson pulls one back for Leeds
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalises from an Ampadu long throw and Rodon flick-on
- Calvert-Lewin scores his second, again from a long-throw routine, to make it 3-2
- Sean Longstaff adds a fourth as Leeds complete a 4-2 comeback victory
Defensive shortages exposed
Iraola finished the match with an inexperienced backline of Calvin Ramsay, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye. Captain Virgil van Dijk has yet to return after the World Cup, Joe Gomez suffered a muscle injury in the first friendly against Sunderland, and new signing Jeremy Jacquet was not risked after feeling discomfort in training. Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni remain sidelined with longer-term injuries. Left-back Luke Chambers, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Charlton Athletic, has been pressed into service at centre-back throughout the tour. The manner of the collapse laid bare the need for reinforcements at centre-back and right-back, with the Premier League opener at Newcastle three weeks away.
I particularly hate this month of August because you start the competitions and you still don't know if some of the players are going to leave and who's going to come - there is a lot of uncertainty.
What comes next
Iraola will meet Van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Alisson Becker and new signing Victor Munoz at the AXA Training Centre in the coming days. Alexis Mac Allister, granted extra time off after Argentina's run to the World Cup final, will be the only first-team player yet to report. Liverpool have made no additions during the fortnight in the United States, partly because Iraola wanted to assess the squad before making decisions. The pursuit of France winger Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain continues, but the second-half capitulation against Leeds may shift priorities toward defensive signings. Liverpool visit Newcastle United on August 23 to open their Premier League campaign.
