- Nasima Akter
Liverpool Teen Ben Doak Suddenly Collapses
Liverpool's promising young player Ben Doak collapsed on the pitch after a horrific clash of heads during the Reds' UEFA Youth League clash with Sporting Lisbon.
The 17-year-old Scottish winger had jumped for a header with a Sporting defender, appeared to stumble, and held his forehead for a couple of seconds before losing balance. In alarming scenes, Doak then wobbled and fell to the floor clutching his head, forcing the game to halt immediately, and he received treatment for around two minutes.
Liverpool's medics rushed onto the field to assist, and Doak eventually rose to his feet but was replaced by a substitute.
However, Doak's horrifying collision with the Sporting defender has raised concerns about his well-being and whether he would continue playing. This unfortunate incident occurred just six minutes into the match, and despite Liverpool's efforts, they lost 1-0 to Sporting after Rodrigo Ribeiro's second-half goal.
Following the collapse scare, Liverpool has confirmed that Doak is doing well. U21s head coach Barry Lewtas stated, "Ben is okay. He obviously couldn't continue but our medical staff got to him quickly. He was on the pitch at the end with the lads, and we will keep him closely monitored."
What Else Happened in the Match
Doak's departure opened the door for other players to step up, with James McConnell impressing in an advanced midfield role and Keyrol Figueroa showing pace and power off the bench. However, despite their efforts, Sporting managed to notch the winning goal in questionable circumstances.
On a more positive note, the match highlighted the importance of full-backs, with 17-year-old Josh Davidson and 18-year-old Calum Scanlon stepping up to the plate in the absence of regular starters. Both performed admirably, with Scanlon impressively matching up against Diogo Cabral and Davidson holding his own in a battle with Afonso Moreira.
The match also attracted attention, with former Everton boss Roberto Martinez in attendance to keep an eye on potential starlets in the Sporting team. The small stand at the Aurelio Fereira Stadium was packed with a handful of enthusiastic Sporting fans, adding to the already electric atmosphere of the game.
Doak's Rise on the Liverpool Team
Doak is among Liverpool's most promising talents and has played five times for Jurgen Klopp's first team. He is a Scotland youth international and joined Liverpool last summer for around £600,000 from Celtic, beating other clubs' competition.
Despite his tender age, Doak has already been making waves in Liverpool's youth squad, providing four goals and four assists in this competition alone. His impressive displays have even earned him a spot in Jurgen Klopp's first team, where he's made five appearances in both the Premier League and Carabao Cup.
And if that wasn't enough, Doak has also been called up to Scotland's under-21s side. Some members of the Tartan Army have even declared their support for Steve Clarke to bring him into the first team.
Meanwhile, Falkirk captain Stephen McGinn has hinted at the date of this season's Scottish Cup semi-finals. Rangers will take on Celtic, while Falkirk will face Inverness Caledonian Thistle at the national stadium.
Both games are sure to be exciting, but the exact schedule for the semi-final weekend is still to be determined. Regardless, fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be a thrilling set of games.
