Rio Ngumoha, 18, was named Player of the Match as Liverpool came from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield in the Champions League on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The game kicked off at 8pm and gave the Reds their third win from three in this season's competition.
Villarreal led early. Mikautadze scored in the fourth minute after a poor header from Virgil van Dijk, which was Liverpool's earliest concession at Anfield in a major European tie for 25 years. Cardona then made it 2-0 in the 29th minute, with Ngumoha partly at fault for failing to track a runner.
Liverpool hit back through Alexis Mac Allister, who headed in a Kostas Tsimikas corner in the 36th minute. Ngumoha then crossed for Ronald Araújo, on loan from Barcelona, to equalise at 45+2. Mac Allister scored again in the 65th minute after Ngumoha's play, and Wirtz made it 4-2 with a left-footed finish past Peter Gulacsi.
Ngumoha finished with two assists and seven successful dribbles. He also had 12 touches in the opposition box. Since 2008-09, no other player on record has managed five or more dribbles, ten or more touches in the box and an assist in a single Champions League match. He was substituted to a standing ovation before Oluwaseyi pulled one back for Villarreal in the 87th minute.
Ngumoha was delighted with the night. "It's up there with one of the best I've played," he said. He added: "We have the best fans in the world and to hear my name chanted is a dream." Mac Allister was equally generous, saying: "Rio was amazing tonight, he made a difference."
Head coach Andoni Iraola praised the winger's approach, saying: "I am happy with his attitude." Iraola also noted that Ngumoha has changed sides a lot and is now "so comfortable". The coach added that he is bringing in shots from the left, although the teenager has not scored yet.
Ngumoha broke into the first team as a left winger under Arne Slot last season. This summer Liverpool signed Bradley Barcola from PSG for £123m, and also brought in Víctor Muñoz from Osasuna. Ngumoha started on the right against LASK Linz the week before, then impressed in that position as a substitute against Brentford on Saturday.
The win was Liverpool's first from two goals down in any competition since May 2022, when they beat Villarreal 3-2 in the Champions League semi-final. They scored six goals at LASK the previous week and are the competition's joint top scorers, behind only PSG in the table. They have now conceded three goals in each of their last two Champions League games but won both.
