In a thrilling Premier League match, Liverpool emerged victorious over Newcastle United with a 3-2 win at St James' Park. The game was marked by Rio Ngumoha's
remarkable debut, where he scored the decisive goal in the 100th minute. This victory was significant for Liverpool as they managed to secure three points despite being down to ten men.
Ngumoha's goal came after a clever play involving Dominik Szoboszlai, who allowed Mohamed Salah's pass to reach Ngumoha. The young forward capitalised on this opportunity, finding the far corner and silencing the home crowd. This dramatic finish ensured Liverpool joined Tottenham and Arsenal at the top of the table with maximum points.
Newcastle's performance left them with just one point from their opening matches, placing them 15th in the league standings. The team faced challenges throughout the game, including Anthony Gordon's red card for a reckless tackle on Virgil van Dijk during first-half stoppage time. This incident added to Newcastle's woes as they struggled to maintain control.
The match began with Ryan Gravenberch giving Liverpool an early lead in the 35th minute through a long-range effort. Despite Hugo Ekitike hitting the post shortly after halftime, Newcastle found themselves trailing further when Bruno Guimaraes scored a header in the 57th minute, reducing Liverpool's lead.
As Newcastle pushed for an equaliser, Liverpool faced intense pressure from numerous crosses into their box. Dan Burn's flick-on allowed substitute William Osula to score in the 88th minute, seemingly securing a point for Newcastle. However, Ngumoha's late heroics ensured Liverpool left with all three points.
16 - Rio Ngumoha is the second 16-year-old to score a winning goal in a Premier League game, after Wayne Rooney in October 2002 for Everton vs Arsenal; he is one day younger (16 years, 361 days) than Rooney was that day. Entrance. pic.twitter.com/tT7HpXNemv OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 25, 2025
Ngumoha Joins Elite Company
Ngumoha's goal not only secured victory but also placed him among elite company in Premier League history. At just under 17 years old, he became Liverpool’s youngest scorer in the competition and joined an exclusive list of young talents like James Vaughan and James Milner who scored at similar ages.
This achievement also saw him replicate Wayne Rooney’s feat from October 2002 when Rooney scored a winner for Everton against Arsenal at a slightly older age than Ngumoha. His strike was timed at nearly 100 minutes, making it one of the latest winners recorded since Cole Palmer’s goal for Chelsea against Manchester United.
Liverpool now prepares to face Arsenal next while Newcastle looks ahead to what promises to be an active end to their transfer window as they seek their first win of the season.
