Young Boys v Liverpool

Young Boys 3

Nuzzolo 38′ Ojala 52′ Zarate 63′

Ojala 4′ (og) Wisdom 40′ Coates 67′ Shelvey 76′, 88′

FT 90 +4
HT 1-2

By Mandeep Sanghera BBC Sport

Jonjo Shelvey saved Liverpool's blushes with two goals in an entertaining Europa League group game at Young Boys.

Juhani Ojala inadvertently headed into his own net to put Liverpool ahead before poor defending let Raphael Nuzzolo fire in an equaliser.

Reds debutant Andre Wisdom's header restored the visitors' lead, only for Ojala to nod home and Gonzalo Zarate to chip in to put Young Boys 3-2 up.

A Sebastian Coates header and Shelvey's strikes then gave the Reds victory.

Liverpool goal-glut

Liverpool's tally is the first time they have scored more than four in a European match since they posted the record Champions League victory in November 2007 with an 8-0 win over Besiktas.

Substitute Shelvey, 20, finished off an incisive Liverpool move with a first-time right-footed shot for his first and sealed the win when he surged towards goal before powering in a left-footed effort.

While Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers may be unhappy with the defensive aspect of his team's play, those concerns will be tempered by the impact of midfielder Shelvey and the experience gained by the other youngsters in his side.

A second string Liverpool had gone into the match with Young Boys manager Martin Rueda warning that his Swiss side could "embarrass" their visitors after the Reds left eight first-team regulars on Merseyside.

But it was Young Boys who were soon left red-faced in almost comical circumstances.

There seemed no danger when Stewart Downing delivered a cross from the right only for Christoph Spycher's clearing header to ricochet off team-mate Ojala's head and into the home net.

Rueda's side almost responded immediately when Raul Bobadilla showed a lovely touch to take down a lofted ball before seeing his shot palmed into the side-netting by keeper Brad Jones.

Liverpool teenagers Suso, 18, and 19-year-old Wisdom have come through the club's academy and were both making their first-team debuts, along with summer signing Oussama Assaidi, 24.

Assaidi carried a threat on the left-wing and the silky Suso showed a glimpse of his potential when he jinked into the area before failing to find an unmarked Daniel Pacheco with his cut-back.

Liverpool appeared comfortable and had themselves to blame for allowing Young Boys back into the game.

Right-back Wisdom scores his first goal for Liverpool

Reds left-back Jose Enrique intercepted a chipped ball only to stab his clearance to Nuzzolo, who gleefully accepted the gift by firing into the roof of the net.

Wisdom climbed well to head home from Nuri Sahin's corner but Young Boys sensed a vulnerability at the back for Liverpool, and Alexander Farnerud's curling shot struck the post soon after.

The uncertainty of veteran Jamie Carragher as well as the inexperience of 21-year-old Sebastian Coates continued to give Liverpool problems in central defence and they were duly punished in the second half.

Young Boys had come out after the break with a renewed vigour and were rewarded when Ojala placed a precise header into the bottom corner to level.

The Swiss side went ahead after Bobadilla outmuscled Carragher and slid a pass into the run of Zarate, who dinked the ball coolly over the on-rushing Jones.

The lead did not survive long in an open, error-strewn game, however, as Coates headed in a corner on his European debut to equalise for Liverpool.

And as the teams continued to trade attacks, the introduction of Shelvey and striker Fabio Borini gave Liverpool the edge, the former especially as his two well-struck goals decided the match.

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (6)

Young Boys

01 Wolfli
03 Ojala
13 Zverotic (Frey - 81' )
17 Spycher
22 Veskovac Booked
23 Sutter
08 Farnerud
16 Raimondi Booked
29 Nuzzolo Booked (Schneuwly - 69' )
09 Bobadilla Booked
19 Zarate (Alexander Gonzalez - 65' )

Substitutes

27 Benito
02 Alexander Gonzalez
33 Lecjaks
10 Costanzo
14 Schneuwly
07 Vitkieviez
20 Frey

Liverpool

01 Jones
03 Jose Enrique
16 Coates
23 Carragher
47 Wisdom
04 Sahin
14 Henderson
19 Downing (Sterling - 77' )
11 Assaidi (Shelvey - 66' )
12 Pacheco (Borini - 61' Booked )
30 Jesus Fernandez Saez

Substitutes

42 Gulacsi
22 Wilson
49 Robinson
31 Sterling
33 Shelvey
29 Borini
36 Yesil

Ref: Koukoulakis

Att: 31,120

Match Stats

Possession 50 50

Shots

10 10

On target

6 7

Corners

4 6

Fouls

8 11

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +3:11 Full time

Full Time The final whistle is blown by the referee.

90:00 +1:03

The official flags Raheem Sterling offside. Marco Wolfli takes the free kick.

89:27

Mario Raimondi fouled by Jesus Fernandez Saez, the ref awards a free kick. Mario Raimondi takes the direct free kick.

87:01

Assist on the goal came from Jordan Henderson.

87:01 Goal scored

Goal - Jonjo Shelvey - Young Boys 3 - 5 Liverpool Jonjo Shelvey scores a goal from just inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Young Boys 3-5 Liverpool.

85:37

Jonjo Shelvey gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Christoph Spycher. Christian Schneuwly crosses the ball in from the free kick.

85:37

Christoph Spycher fouled by Jonjo Shelvey, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Christoph Spycher.

84:40

Brad Jones takes the direct free kick.

84:07 Booking

Booking Booking for Raul Marcelo Bobadilla for unsporting behaviour.

81:28

Scott Sutter takes the direct free kick.

81:28 Booking

Booking Fabio Borini goes into the referee's book.

81:14

Unfair challenge on Juhani Ojala by Fabio Borini results in a free kick.