Liverpool loanee Ifeanyi Ndukwe was sent off in the 56th minute as Austria’s U19s lost 1-0 to Belarus and will miss the next game

Ifeanyi Ndukwe was the best player on the pitch for Austria’s U19s until the 56th minute on Wednesday, and then one tackle changed his night.

The 18-year-old Liverpool defender, who is on loan at Levante, was sent off in Wiener Neustadt after a heavy challenge on the edge of his own penalty area. Austria had controlled the match against Belarus up to that point but were down to 10 men, and Belarus took advantage.

Marat Titov finished a move set up by Priemko in the 73rd minute for a 1-0 win in the opening game of the second qualifying round for the UEFA U19 European Championship.

Austria had chances to take the lead before the red card, with Ndukwe himself getting an opportunity in the fifth minute, followed by efforts from Delic in the ninth and Deshishku in the 32nd.

The first half finished 0-0, and the manager, Oliver Lederer, was left with a depleted side.

The loss hurts in a group where the margin is thin. Austria sit third of four in Group A4 on goal difference, ahead of only Slovenia, who lost 4-1 to England in their opener.

The top three teams in each group move on to the final round of qualifying in spring 2027, so Austria cannot afford to finish fourth if they want to stay in League A.

Ndukwe will miss Saturday’s game against Slovenia at 18:00 local time, and he is expected back for the group finale against England on Tuesday afternoon. England’s squad includes Liverpool’s Will Wright.

The setback comes during a strong first season away from Anfield for Ndukwe, who is 6-foot-6 and was born in Vienna to a Nigerian father and a Russian mother.

He joined Liverpool from Austria Wien for a reported £2.6 million, a deal agreed in January and completed in August once he turned 18. Because he did not have enough points to qualify for a UK work permit at the time, he was immediately loaned to Levante, where he has earned them.

He made his La Liga debut in a 4-2 loss to Barcelona in September, scored a stoppage-time equalizer in a 3-3 draw with Sevilla in October for his first senior goal, and has started six straight league games. He is now eligible for a UK work permit.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, who played alongside him against Monaco in preseason, said then that the teenager had real promise. “Big talent, big guy and he wants to learn,” Van Dijk said.

Liverpool could recall Ndukwe in January, but reports suggest the club does not plan to and would rather he finish the season at Levante. Giovanni Leoni is also nearing a return from a serious knee injury.