The match statistics alone showed what a threat Ngumoha can be.
He had 12 touches in the opposition box, completed seven out of eight dribbles, and registered two crucial assists.
But watching Ngumoha is more than just a numbers experience. There’s a fearless nature to his play that can get the crowd going, and he was the one bright spark in a first half where Liverpool lacked any sort of rhythm.
In a game increasingly focused on structures, Ngumoha’s raw ability to take a man on is what helps to set him apart.
“He was magnificent tonight,” said former Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge on Amazon Prime.
“On the ball, this kid has so much potential – and I say ‘kid’, but he’s a young man. He has so much quality and it’s stuff that you can’t teach to be honest.
“What he does with the ball at his feet – that is God-given ability – and his hard work on the training pitch, doing things day in and day out, and being ruthless, is what he said in his interview, and I like that. He wants to be decisive, and I love that.”
Ngumoha, who has grown up playing down the left, has struggled to get minutes on his preferred side this season, especially with Cody Gakpo and Barcola often playing down that flank.
But head coach Andoni Iraola wants his wingers to be able to play on both sides and Ngumoha’s improvement on the right flank has been impressive in such a short space of time.
Ngumoha also spoke about his rapid development on the right on Saturday, after Liverpool beat Brentford.
“I feel like I’ve got a lot better playing there from the Newcastle game [at the start of this season] until now,” Ngumoha said.
“I’m understanding it more. And going away with England helped a lot as well. I like playing on both sides. It gives me another tool in the toolbox.”
CLEVELAND — Drew Rasmussen allowed one run over seven innings for his second postseason win, Tampa Bay’s offense kept on constant pressure and the Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 Sunday night to take a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series.
The Rays will try to capture their third AL pennant and first since 2020 on Monday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Since the ALCS expanded to seven games in 1985, road teams winning Game 5 for a 3-2 lead have won the series four of five times.
Game 7 if needed would be Tuesday, and the World Series starts Friday at NL champion Milwaukee.
Cleveland has not won an ALCS when trailing 3-2.
Tampa Bay scored single runs in each of the first three innings, the first two off Parker Messick and the third against Tim Herrin.
Rasmussen shut down the Guardians’ offense after allowing two runs over six innings in the opener. After Chase DeLauter’s two-out single in the first, the 31-year-old right-hander retired nine straight batters and allowed only one other baserunner through the sixth.
Rasmussen gave up four hits, walked one and struck out six. He is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three postseason starts, striking out 23 and walking three.
Cam Booser and Tyler Wells worked the eighth, with Wells striking out José Ramírez to strand a runner.
Bryan Baker came in for the ninth and converted his 35th straight save chance, his fifth of this postseason. Jo Adell was on second base when Travis Bazzana hit a game-ending groundout.
Steven Kwan had two of Cleveland’s five hits and made two fine defensive plays: He threw out Taylor Walls trying to score from second base on Jonathan Aranda’s fourth-inning single to left and made a leaping catch at the center-field wall on Victor Mesa Jr.’s eighth-inning drive, saving a run.
Tampa Bay’s leadoff hitter reached base in the first four innings — scoring in the first three frames — and six times overall. Rays’ leadoff batters have reached in 10 of 14 innings dating to Saturday.
Yandy Díaz had three hits while Aranda and Liam Hicks both had two hits and drove in a run.
Díaz scored on a bases-loaded walk by Messick to Jonny DeLuca in the first inning. Díaz led off with a line-drive double over center fielder Petey Halpin that rolled to the wall.
Aranda’s single drove in Ben Williamson for a 2-0 lead in the second, and Hicks looped a curveball from Herrin to center to score Chandler Simpson in the third.
Cleveland finally threatened in the seventh when Kwan and Ramírez singled to put runners at the corners and DeLauter grounded an RBI single between first and second.
Messick had the shortest outing of his big league career and didn’t make it past the third inning for the second time in four postseason starts. The 25-year-old left-hander went two innings and allowed two runs, five hits and three walks over two innings, throwing just 34 of 57 pitches for strikes.
Behind a standout performance from quarterback Ty Dieffenbach in his first UCLA start, the No. 12 Bruins defeated Wisconsin 17-7 at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
Dieffenbach orchestrated a six-play, 89-yard drive in the fourth quarter to help seal the win for the Bruins, who clinched bowl eligibility by improving to 6-0 under coach Bob Chesney. UCLA is the only undefeated team in the Big Ten.
Although UCLA (6-0, 4-0) entered with one of the most potent ground attacks in the nation, the Badgers’ (4-2, 2-1) stalwart defense — a unit that ranked No. 15 in total defense and ninth in passing yards allowed heading into the game — held UCLA to just 3.2 yards per carry. Heisman Trophy contender Wayne Knight was limited to just 29 all-purpose yards, though he scored his 12th touchdown of the season.
With UCLA struggling to get a push at the point of attack and the Wisconsin defense sealing the edge, the Bruins put their trust in Dieffenbach, who started in his first Football Bowl Subdivision game following Nico Iamaleava sustaining a knee injury against Oregon last week that could keep the senior out for the remainder of the season.
The understudy shined in the spotlight.
Even though expectations were tempered for Dieffenbach, he largely did not miss a beat, completing 22 of 33 passes for 264 yards — better than any single-game passing yards total Iamaleava has produced at UCLA.
Dieffenbach set up UCLA’s first touchdown in the second quarter when he completed a 21-yard pass to Jalen Saint Paul one play before Knight scored on a one-yard carry.
UCLA running back Wayne Knight breaks a tackle from Wisconsin safety Marvin Burks Jr. during the second quarter Saturday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
UCLA’s second score — a touchdown that put the Bruins up 10 points in the fourth quarter — capped Dieffenbach’s most impressive drive. Starting at the UCLA 11, Dieffenbach connected on passes of 28 and 33 yards on a drive that culminated with Anthony Woods scoring on a three-yard run.
Dieffenbach looked poised in the pocket as he made passes under pressure. He excelled on third down, with UCLA converting on 13 of 20 tries. He threw one interception, which came on a Hail Mary as expired in the second quarter, and took just one sack.
Giving Dieffenbach some breathing room, UCLA’s defense dominated again, holding Wisconsin to 214 total yards. Even without UCLA starting outside cornerback Rodrick Pleasant, the Bruins’ secondary blanketed the Badgers in coverage, giving up just 66 passing yards, with Wisconsin’s top receiver Jaylon Domingeaux finishing with 26 yards.
Wisconsin running back Darrion Dupree is tackled by UCLA defensive lineman Sahir West during the second quarter.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
And while the “Bruin Bullies” held up at the line of scrimmage against the Badgers’ tailbacks, Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph ran for 71 yards and one touchdown, using various formations and fakes to confuse the Bruins’ stacked box.
While UCLA failed to produce a takeaway for the first time this season — despite forcing two fumbles, both of which were recovered by Wisconsin — the Bruins made several key stops to help UCLA stay in control.
A 10-yard sack from fifth-year linebacker Jalen Woods on third down late in the second quarter led to an unsuccessful 46-yard field-goal attempt by Gavin Lahm, leaving Wisconsin scoreless at halftime.
UCLA wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. celebrates after making a catch in the second quarter Saturday against Wisconsin.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
After Wisconsin scored its only touchdown and subsequently forced UCLA into a three-and-out late in the third quarter, the Badgers had the ball with a chance to take the lead. But the Bruins forced two incomplete passes and stuffed Joseph at the line to force a punt.
In the fourth quarter, UCLA stopped running back Darrion Dupree short of a first down on fourth-and-two at the Bruins’ 48 to all but end the Badgers’ hopes of a comeback.
