Rochdale and Liverpool U-21 finished level at 1-1 in the EFL Trophy after Will Wright’s second-half stoppage-time equaliser. It was the late moment that defined the game, cancelling out Devante Rodney’s earlier goal and leaving both sides with a point.
Rodney gives Rochdale the lead
Rochdale had the better of the opening exchanges in terms of the scoreline, with Devante Rodney finding the net to put his side in front. For a long spell after that, it looked as though Rochdale had done enough to see out the result.
But Liverpool U-21 kept going, and the match stayed alive into the final moments. The first half ended 1-1, and the second half began with nothing to separate the teams, which set up a tense finish.
Wright strikes in stoppage time
The key moment came late, when Will Wright scored for Liverpool U-21 in the top right corner to level the match. The equaliser arrived after 3 minutes of second-half stoppage time, turning what had looked like a Rochdale win into a shared result.
That goal changed the tone of the fixture completely. Rochdale had been moments away from victory, but Liverpool U-21 showed enough resilience to force the draw and leave with something to show for their effort.
A result settled after the final push
last updated the match report at 20:03 on 22nd September 2026, with the final score standing at 1-1. In the end, the late equaliser ensured there was no winner, only a draw shaped by one decisive moment at the end of the contest.
