Liverpool vs Athletic Club Pre‑Season Double‑Header at Anfield – First Match Full Scorecard

Liverpool beat Athletic Club 4‑1 in the first match of their pre‑season double‐header at Anfield on August 4, 2025. See full scorecard, line‑ups, goal timeline, key events, and player performance.

Liverpool youth line‑up celebrating Rio Ngumoha’s early goal in front of Athletic Club players at Anfield friendly.

First Match: Liverpool 4–1 Athletic Club

Date: Monday, 4 August 2025

Kick‑off: 5 pm BST

Competition: Pre‑season friendly, match one of two at Anfield

🔢 Final Score

Liverpool 4 – Athletic Club 1

⚽ Goals & Timeline

2′: Rio Ngumoha opens the scoring inside two minutes
5′: Darwin Núñez doubles Liverpool’s lead
42′: Álex Padilla (own goal) makes it 3–0 at the break
58′: Harvey Elliott adds a fourth
76′: Gorka Guruzeta reduces the deficit for Athletic with a header

👥 Starting Lineups

Liverpool (4‑2‑3‑1):

Friddie Woodman (GK), Tsimikas, Robertson, Nyoni, Stephenson; Mac Allister, Jones (midfield); Lucky; Elliott; Ngumoha; Núñez; Doak.

Athletic Club:

Ármin Pécsi (GK), Lekue, Vivian, Rego, Yuri; De Galarreta, Prados; I. Williams, Gómez, Berenguer; Sannadi.

🔄 Substitutions & Rotation

Liverpool rotated heavily, introducing youth and fringe players throughout. Details include Kone‑Doherty, Laffey, Koumas substitutes and tactical tweaks. Athletic similarly rotated with Adu Ares and Unai Vencedor featuring later.

🧠 Key Moments & Context

A false fire alarm prompted a temporary evacuation of the Main Stand just before kick-off. No delay occurred.
Before the match, Liverpool and Athletic Club paid tribute to the late Diogo Jota and his brother, with a wreath-laying by legends Phil Thompson and Athletic president Jon Uriarte. His shirt number 20 has been retired by the club.

📊 Match Stats & Insights

Possession: Liverpool ~72%, Athletic ~28%
Liverpool created chances quickly and controlled tempo using energetic pressing and accurate finishing.
The performance highlighted the emergence of Rio Ngumoha (16 years old) and strong impact from Darwin Núñez and Harvey Elliott.

🔚 Summary of Match One

Liverpool delivered a commanding 4–1 victory in the first of two pre-season fixtures against Athletic Club. A youthful side dominated from the start, with early goals from Ngumoha and Núñez, a fortuitous own goal, and a finish from Elliott. Athletic’s only goal came late through Guruzeta. The match served both as a tactical test and emotional tribute to Diogo Jota, all despite the pre-match stadium evacuation.

Stay tuned for details on the second match kicking off at 8 pm BST and full coverage of Liverpool’s pre-season build-up ahead of the new Premier League campaign.