The stars of tomorrow were on show at Stadium MK on Monday evening as an MK Dons XI played host to Liverpool U21s.
Kabongo Tshimanga scored for the Dons but they fell to a 3-1 reverse at the hands of the Premier League side in the final friendly of pre-season, just five days before the first team kick off their 2016/17 campaign at Shrewsbury Town.
No.1 David Martin was included in the starting XI after missing the first-team’s friendly at Stevenage on Saturday due to illness.
Wales’ youngest ever player, Harry Wilson, handed Liverpool an early lead when he coolly finished from close range after good play by Ben Woodburn.
Martin saved well from Toni Gomes shortly afterwards while, at the other end, Caoimhin Kelleher was quickly off his line to deny Connor Furlong’s through-ball finding a team-mate.
Kelleher then got down to gather a 20-yard drive from the Trialist as the young Dons began to grow into the game as the midway point of the first half approached.
Good work by Brandon Thomas-Asante set-up a chance for Tilney but, after steadying himself, he flashed his effort wide of the target from just inside the box.
However, the visitors made it 2-0 on 41 minutes when Toni Gomes fired a low effort into the bottom right-hand corner from 15 yards.
At the start of the second half, Thomas-Asante stung the palms of Kelleher from 25 yards as the Dons looked to reduce the arrears.
After 60 good minutes under his belt, Martin was replaced by Charlie Burns, while Bradley Bell and Sam Nombe were also introduced.
However, it was a Liverpool substitute, Conor Masterson, who added a third for the visitors when he finished coolly past Burns from 15 yards.
The Dons responded with a goal of their own with 76 minutes on the clock when Tshimanga latched on to Nombe’s ball and fired home across Kelleher.
MK Dons: Martin (Burns 61); Kioso, Kasumu (Omar 81), Jackson, Tilney; Osei-Bonsu, Logan (Nombe 61); Trialist (Bell 61), Furlong (Evans 72), Thomas-Asante; Tshimanga (Stratton 81).
Goal: Tshimanga (76).
Attendance: 2,375 (415 Liverpool fans).
No.1 David Martin was included in the starting XI after missing the first-team’s friendly at Stevenage on Saturday due to illness.
Wales’ youngest ever player, Harry Wilson, handed Liverpool an early lead when he coolly finished from close range after good play by Ben Woodburn.
Martin saved well from Toni Gomes shortly afterwards while, at the other end, Caoimhin Kelleher was quickly off his line to deny Connor Furlong’s through-ball finding a team-mate.
Kelleher then got down to gather a 20-yard drive from the Trialist as the young Dons began to grow into the game as the midway point of the first half approached.
Good work by Brandon Thomas-Asante set-up a chance for Tilney but, after steadying himself, he flashed his effort wide of the target from just inside the box.
However, the visitors made it 2-0 on 41 minutes when Toni Gomes fired a low effort into the bottom right-hand corner from 15 yards.
At the start of the second half, Thomas-Asante stung the palms of Kelleher from 25 yards as the Dons looked to reduce the arrears.
After 60 good minutes under his belt, Martin was replaced by Charlie Burns, while Bradley Bell and Sam Nombe were also introduced.
However, it was a Liverpool substitute, Conor Masterson, who added a third for the visitors when he finished coolly past Burns from 15 yards.
The Dons responded with a goal of their own with 76 minutes on the clock when Tshimanga latched on to Nombe’s ball and fired home across Kelleher.
MK Dons: Martin (Burns 61); Kioso, Kasumu (Omar 81), Jackson, Tilney; Osei-Bonsu, Logan (Nombe 61); Trialist (Bell 61), Furlong (Evans 72), Thomas-Asante; Tshimanga (Stratton 81).
Goal: Tshimanga (76).
Attendance: 2,375 (415 Liverpool fans).
