Zimpapers Logo

HONG KONG. – Dominic Solanke scored his first goal for Liverpool to help secure a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League Asia Trophy yesterday.

The England Under-21 international fired in a brilliant strike in the 61st minute to open his Liverpool scoring account after his summer move from Chelsea.

Divock Origi netted the second in the 79th minute to set up a meeting with Leicester in the final of the tournament in Hong Kong on Saturday.

Palace will face West Brom after they were beaten on penalties by the Foxes in the first match of the day at the Hong Kong Stadium.

New Palace manager Frank De Boer opted for three at the back in his first match against Premier League opposition, with Andros Townsend and Jeffrey Schlupp as wing-backs.

The duo, along with the lively Wilfried Zaha, provided Palace’s attacking outlets, although they were on the back foot for much of the match. Daniel Sturridge had Liverpool’s first chance in the 13th minute when his shot from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s low cross was blocked by Scott Dann.

Sturridge’s clever back-heeled pass then teed up Adam Lallana, but he blazed over the bar. The pacey Mohamed Salah looked threatening for the Reds and fired a left-footed shot over after cutting in from the right. Keshi Anderson saw a shot saved at the other end after a reverse pass from Townsend, before Wayne Hennessey kept out an effort across goal from Sturridge.

Liverpool made a raft of changes at the start of the second half and one of them, Philippe Coutinho, went close with a shot from outside the box in the 54th minute.

Solanke broke the deadlock on the hour mark when he collected Origi’s clever flick and fired across goal and into the bottom corner. – Sky Sports.