In the final match of both clubs’ pre-season tours of the United States, Liverpool suffered a stunning second-half collapse against Leeds United on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago.
What looked like a comfortable win for Andoni Iraola’s side turned into a 4-2 defeat as Daniel Farke’s Leeds produced a clinical comeback.
Liverpool started brightly and took the lead inside seven minutes. From a Dominik Szoboszlai corner, Milos Kerkez flicked the ball on at the near post and young defender Luke Chambers smashed it home from close range. The Reds doubled their advantage before half-time when an excellent team move involving Trey Nyoni and Jeremie Frimpong ended with Florian Wirtz finishing from close range. It was Wirtz’s first outing of the summer after the World Cup, and Alexander Isak also featured for 45 minutes on his first appearance under Iraola.
At the break it was 2-0 and looking comfortable. That changed completely after the interval.
Leeds, managed by Daniel Farke, made several substitutions and came out with far greater intensity. On the hour mark, a mistake by Kerkez gifted possession to Ethan Ampadu, who fed substitute Brenden Aaronson. The American finished neatly past Giorgi Mamardashvili to make it 2-1.
Eleven minutes later Leeds were level. Ampadu’s long throw was flicked on by Joe Rodon and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the former Everton striker, was unmarked at the back post to head home. Barely two minutes after that, Sean Longstaff completed the turnaround, scuffing a finish past the goalkeeper after Curtis Jones failed to clear.
Calvert-Lewin then sealed the result late on with his second goal of the night, again capitalising on a long throw that Liverpool failed to deal with. The final score: Liverpool 2-4 Leeds United.
For Iraola, it was a first defeat in charge and a sobering end to the US tour. Liverpool had controlled large periods of the first half and showed flashes of quality, particularly through Wirtz and the young midfielder Nyoni, but defensive fragility after a raft of changes and an inability to deal with set-pieces (especially long throws) proved costly. Leeds finished with more shots and a higher expected goals tally.
For Daniel Farke and Leeds, the result was the perfect way to finish their American trip. The second-half response, the impact of the substitutes, and Calvert-Lewin’s clinical finishing will give the squad plenty of belief heading into the new Premier League season.
Pre-season results rarely define a campaign, but the manner of Liverpool’s collapse will give Iraola clear areas to address before competitive football returns. For Farke’s Leeds, it was a statement performance against high-quality opposition and a reminder that they can compete when they get the basics right.
A six-goal thriller in Chicago provided entertainment for the 40,000-plus fans present — and left both managers with plenty to think about as they head home.
