It seems scary to rate a player so highly at just 17, but that’s what people have been doing. Jordon Ibe, Wycombe Wanderers youngest ever player and goalscorer at just 15, is starting to make a name for himself at Anfield; already being labelled ‘the next Raheem Sterling’, who is just one year older, but you can see why.
Jordon Ibe’s shone through again as Liverpool squeezed past Leeds United to earn a trip to Hull City in the next round of the FA Youth Cup. Seventeen year old, Ibe, bagged an impressive brace while Jack Dunn put away a tap in, as the U18s put on an impressive show.
The signs were clear from the off from Ibe: receiving a Fulton throw inside his own half before embarking on a menacing run, evading three challenges before firing just wide from twenty yards. Yalany Baio was then booked for almost cutting a Leeds player in half as the visitors began to get a hold of proceedings. Eoghan Stokes came on for the injured Lewis Walters in Leeds attack and the substitute had an immediate impact. The striker had the ball in the Kop net before the referee called a halt to the celebrations, signalling a foul on Ryan Fulton.
A tame Jack Dunn shot and fifteen minutes later, Ibe took centre stage. Dan Trickett-Smith picked up possession midway through the Leeds half and coolly slotted to the former Wycombe winger on the left. Ibe took up the ball on his right foot, cut inside while skipping past two tackles and fired goalwards. The ball shot past Eric Grimes in the Leeds goal with the help of a deflection and Liverpool found themselves in front after 29 minutes.
Just ten minutes on, and Ibe was at it again. Jordan Rossiter this time fed the attacker and he strode forward menacingly, driving Corey Roper backwards into his penalty area. A devastating counter attack from Liverpool saw Ibe glide past the Leeds midfield and some mesmerising feet fooled the centre half as he pulled the ball past him and fired beyond Grimes into the far corner to double Liverpool’s advantage.
But Ibe was not done there. It all continued in the second half. The poise, the gasp of excitement when the ball arrived at his feet, the clattering of seats as their occupants rose to their feet in expectation of something magical. Unfortunately, Ibe could not add an Anfield hat trick to his cabinet as the visitors grew in confidence.
Craig Dawson volleyed over from a Luke Parkin lay off but Leeds soon got the just rewards for their persistent endeavours. Second half substitute, Lewis Cook drilled his shot across goal and into the bottom corner after taking on an Alex Mowatt pass and turning inside Joe Maguire, giving Fulton no chance.
Brewitt continued a confident performance at centre back by clearing a header off the line when Fulton was caught in no man’s land. Fortunately, after a more conservative approach from Liverpool in the second half, another speedy counter from the home side rendered Cook’s strike a mere consolation. Jack Dunn charged toward to solitary Leeds defender who had stayed back from a free kick before slipping the ball across to Kristoffer Peterson who lured Grimes out. The second half introduction played the ball back across goal for Dunn to slam home a Kop end strike into an open goal.
