Liverpool were left waiting to confirm their place in the UEFA Youth League knockout stages after slipping to defeat at Ajax.
Trent Kone-Doherty's goal wasn't enough as the Reds' under-19 side were beaten 3-1 by the Dutch side in a feisty encounter at the De Toekomst sports complex in Amsterdam on Wednesday afternoon.
With Barry Lewtas's side two points ahead of Ajax going into the final game, Liverpool still require only a point in their final game at home to Napoli next week to assure top spot in Group A and automatic qualification for the last 16.
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Liverpool - who thrashed Ajax 4-0 at Kirkby last month - were without a number of key players, with centre-back Lee Jonas and goalkeeper Harvey Davies banned and right-back Isaac Mabaya and striker Oakley Cannonier, the tournament's leading scorer going into this week with seven, both injured.
The new-look starting line-up struggled to gel and Ajax took advantage by taking the lead after 15 minutes, Jaydon Banel sidefooting neatly into the bottom corner after good work by the busy Rafael Sarfo down the right.
And Sarfo was again the creator when the home side doubled their lead on 41 minutes, finding space on the flank and crossing into the box where Gabriel Misehouy slotted home.
That finally sparked Liverpool into life. And after Lewis Koumas, deputising for Cannonier, had a diving header saved by Ajax goalkeeper Stan Kremers, the visitorss pulled a goal back a minute before the break, Ben Doak doing well to beat his marker down the right and fire a low cross that was deflected into the path of Kone-Doherty to head in from almost on the goalline.
Ajax, though, restored their two-goal advantage on 63 minutes. After James McConnell appeared to be fouled, play was waved on and home substitute David Kalokoh, who had only been on the field two minutes, pushed forward and hit a shot that was deflected home.
It sparked a flare-up in the penalty area that ended with Melkamu Frauendorf and Ajax's Oualid Agoujil both going into the book. The Reds were unhappy with a number of decisions during the game, including Bobby Clark not being awarded a penalty when felled in the second half.
Liverpool are next in UEFA Youth League action on Tuesday when they take on Napoli at the Academy in Kirkby (kick-off 2pm).
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Hewitson; Miles, Quansah, Chambers, Corness; Frauendorf, McConnell, Clark; Doak, Koumas (Young 78), Kone-Doherty (Pilling 68). Subs: Trueman, Kelly, Hayes-Green, Danns, Giblin. BOOKINGS: Corness, Quansah, Frauendorf.
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