In a fairytale debut, Liverpool’s much-talked-about 16-year-old forward, Rio Numoa, came off the bench in the 96th minute and scored just four minutes later to secure victory for the Reds.
Only Numoa can describe the vision he had for his debut, but what unfolded on the pitch was nothing short of a fairytale. Liverpool’s wonderkid entered, witnessed, and conquered.
Numoa became the hero of Liverpool’s thrilling English Premier League win. The 16-year-old forward stepped onto the pitch in the sixth minute of stoppage time, with the match tied 2-2. Just four minutes later, he netted the winner.
Newcastle United, despite being 2-0 down at home and reduced to ten men, had fought back brilliantly to level the score. But Numoa’s goal sent the Liverpool fans at St James’ Park into euphoria while crushing the hearts of the home supporters.
After Newcastle equalized with a second goal in the 88th minute, Liverpool remained under pressure. However, the winning strike came from a well-coordinated attack. Near the box, Federico Chiesa passed to Mohamed Salah on the right. Salah delivered into the box, cleverly dummied by Dominik Saboslay, leaving Numoa unmarked. In the blink of an eye, the teenage forward struck the ball perfectly into the net.
Numoa will turn 17 next Friday, making this goal a perfect birthday gift for himself and the club.
Born on August 29, 2008, in Newham, England, Numoa is of Nigerian-Guadeloupean descent. While eligible to play for Nigeria or France, he currently represents England at youth levels.
He joined Chelsea’s academy in 2016 at the age of eight and spent eight years there before moving to Liverpool last year. Coach Arna Slot gave him opportunities to train with the first team. Numoa made his debut for Liverpool in January in the FA Cup against Accrington Stanley at 16 years and 235 days old, becoming the youngest player in Liverpool’s long history.
He participated in Liverpool’s preseason preparations and impressed on the Hong Kong and Japan tour, earning a first-team chance. And in his Premier League debut, he left a mark.
At 16 years and 361 days, Numoa became the fourth youngest goalscorer in Premier League history. The record holders ahead of him are James Milner at 16 years 356 days, Wayne Rooney at 16 years 360 days, and James Vaughan at 16 years 207 days.
His 100th-minute strike also ranks as the fourth latest goal ever scored in Premier League history.
After the match, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk praised the youngster:
“His debut was a dream. The technique was perfect. At the end, when it gets tense, we stayed calm and looked for the right moment to score, and we did. I’m really happy for Rio.”
The man who gave him the opportunity, Coach Slot, was equally thrilled:
“For a 16-year-old, that was an incredible goal. It was a big chance, and given his age, his finishing was very good. The power behind the shot… you don’t see that often. He’s very confident, and this goal wasn’t a fluke. For his age, he’s an excellent finisher.”
