A tight, technical contest

The first half was characterised by tidy passing from both teams but very few clear-cut chances. Liverpool controlled possession, moving the ball confidently through midfield, while Cardiff defended in a compact mid-block and looked to hit on the counter-attack.

Liverpool’s best moment came just after the half-hour mark when striker Jaylen Moore ran onto a through ball and lifted his effort just over the crossbar. Cardiff’s response was quick, and their winger forced a low save from the Liverpool goalkeeper with a stinging shot from the edge of the box.

More open after the break

The second half saw more attacking intent from both benches. Liverpool introduced several substitutes, increasing the tempo and pressing higher up the pitch. Cardiff, however, remained organised and nearly stole the game in stoppage time when a deep cross was headed narrowly wide.

The final whistle confirmed a 0-0 scoreline that both coaching teams will view as a useful workout. For Liverpool U21, the clean sheet was encouraging, while Cardiff U21 will appreciate the defensive resilience shown on the road. As pre-season continues, the focus now turns to sharpening the final pass in the attacking third.