Leeds, Liverpool (foto: Getty Images)
Leeds United came from 2-0 down to beat Liverpool 4-2 in Chicago, handing Andoni Iraola his first defeat as Reds manager despite impressive first-half displays from Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.
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Liverpool suffered their first defeat of pre-season after throwing away a two-goal lead in a dramatic 4-2 loss to Leeds United at Chicago's Soldier Field.
For the opening 45 minutes, everything appeared to be going according to plan for new head coach Andoni Iraola. Liverpool dominated possession, attacked with confidence and looked far more dangerous following the return of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, who had both missed the previous friendly against Wrexham.
However, the match changed completely after the interval. Liverpool's wholesale substitutions disrupted the team's rhythm, while Leeds took full advantage to produce an impressive comeback and hand Iraola his first defeat since taking charge.
A dream first half for Liverpool
The Reds made a bright start despite early pressure from Leeds at set pieces.
The opening goal arrived after Isak launched a quick counterattack that eventually resulted in a corner. Dominik Szoboszlai delivered the cross, Milos Kerkez cleverly flicked the ball across the six-yard box and Luke Chambers fired home to make it 1-0.
Isak looked sharp throughout the first half, pressing aggressively and linking well with his teammates after returning from World Cup duty with Sweden. His understanding with Wirtz offered Liverpool supporters another glimpse of what could become one of the Premier League's most exciting attacking partnerships.
Five minutes before the break, Liverpool doubled their advantage with an outstanding team move.
Trey Nyoni produced a perfectly weighted cross into the path of Jeremie Frimpong, whose first-time ball across the face of goal was calmly finished by Wirtz. The German international timed his run perfectly to score between three Leeds defenders.
Leeds turn everything around
Both managers made several changes during the interval, but the substitutions had a much greater impact for Daniel Farke.
Leeds introduced Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Sean Longstaff, Brenden Aaronson and new signing Harry Wilson, completely transforming the contest.
Liverpool, meanwhile, withdrew Wirtz, Isak, Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha, replacing them with Ryan Gravenberch, Federico Chiesa, Curtis Jones and Lewis Koumas.
The momentum immediately shifted.
Calvert-Lewin struck twice as Leeds exploited Liverpool's weakness from set pieces, while Aaronson and Longstaff also found the net during a devastating 25-minute spell that completely overturned the match.
Liverpool struggled to cope with Leeds' physicality and intensity after the break, exposing defensive vulnerabilities that Iraola will be eager to address before the Premier League season begins.
A warning despite encouraging signs
The defeat overshadowed another encouraging first-half display from Liverpool's new-look attack. Wirtz and Isak showed promising chemistry, while Nyoni continued his impressive pre-season performances in midfield.
Yet the dramatic collapse highlighted that Liverpool remain a work in progress. Iraola has already introduced a more aggressive pressing style and quicker transitions, but the second-half performance demonstrated there is still significant work to do before the new campaign gets underway.
The match attracted an impressive crowd of 49,128 spectators at Soldier Field, underlining the enormous popularity of both clubs during their summer tours of the United States.