Virgil Van Dijk Praises Rio Ngumoha's Perfect Debut

Virgil van Dijk appreciated Rio Ngumoha's debut appearance which contributed greatly to Liverpool (Instagram/@liverpoolfc).

JAKARTA - Virgil van Dijk called Rio Ngumoha's first appearance in the Premier League a dream debut after the teenager's dramatic winning goal in the final minutes against Newcastle United on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, early morning WIB.

The 16-year-old came off the bench and scored in injury time at St. James' Park. The defending champion also won 3-2 after Newcastle, who played with 10 players, came back from 0-2 behind.

"This is a dream debut for him. His technique is perfect. We also remain calm towards the end, trying to find the right solution to score goals, and we did it. I am very happy for Rio," Van Dijk told Sky Sports.

With his last-minute goal, Ngumoha, who will turn 17 on Friday, August 29, 2025, became the fourth youngest goalscorer in Premier League history, losing only to James Vaughan, James Milner, and Wayne Rooney.

His goal, which was created in the 10th minute of second-half injury time, also ranked fourth among the latest goals scored in the competition.

"It was an incredible goal for a 16-year-old player. It was a great opportunity. He was able to finish very well for his age. How strong the shot was -- you rarely see this."

"He is very confident and scoring goals is not just a coincidence. For his age, he is a very good finisher," said Liverpool manager Arne Slot.

Liverpool played poorly in most matches despite goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike, created on both sides of the pitch after Anthony Gordon was sent off, putting them in dominant position.

The match took place in the hot atmosphere, which was largely due to Liverpool's failure to recruit an uneasy Newcastle striker, Alexander Isak.

In addition, Ekitike's presence in the Reds camp - let alone scoring goals - made Newcastle full of motivation. As is known, the former Eintrahct Frankfurt was the main target of The Magpies, but instead moved closer to Anfield.

"Obviously we all know this is a difficult place to come to. We all know there is a lot of fuel to be fueled this week, especially, a excited Newcastle."

"For us, we are disappointed to concede from two set pieces and that should not have happened. However, overall, these are three extraordinary points. We will continue to advance and focus on the next match," said Van Dijk.