Goals from Amin Affane and Islam Feruz (pictured) have given our Under 18s a solid base to take into the second leg of this season’s FA Youth Cup semi-final.
Returning to the scene of a heavy defeat in last season’s competition, Adi Viveash’s side stood up well to the Old Trafford test, Affane giving the Blues a deserved half-time lead.
Man United were strong after the restart and found an equaliser just past the hour but schoolboy Feruz continued his impressive form in this cup run to drill home a winner. Away goals do not count double in the FA Youth Cup in the event of level scores at the end of the second leg.
Viveash made one change to the starting line up from the previous round at Nottingham Forest. Nathaniel Chalobah moved forward into midfield, as he had done during the exciting fight back at the City Ground. Reece Mitchell made way with Alex Davey coming in at centre-back for his Youth Cup debut.
Only Jamal Blackman, Todd Kane, Chalobah and Adam Nditi played in the loss on this ground in the semi-final second leg last season, Nditi a half-time substitute that night. Two of the Man United team remained from a year ago.
It was a promising start by this season’s young Blues, enjoying plenty of the ball in the Man United half and centre-back Nathan Ake (pictured below) shot just over with the first chance after a corner wasn’t properly cleared.
On eight minutes Chelsea nicked possession high up the pitch and Feruz charged into the area but was dispossessed well by the home side’s captain Luke McCullough.
The momentum remained with the visitors and the breakthrough came on 13 minutes. There had been composed passing down the middle already and this time Feruz and Piazon linked up and when the ball bounced kindly off a defender, the Brazilian found Affane for a first-time low finish just inside the post from 10 yards.
Man United midfielder Jack Barmby was booked on 20 minutes for slicing down Nditi as the Blues continued to dominate possession.
A very good opportunity to go 2-0 ahead went begging as Piazon sliced a shot past the left-hand post after an excellent pass from Chalobah. That was on 30 minutes and three minutes later came the first truly loose piece of play from Chelsea. Nditi took a heavy touch, losing the ball and then pulled back his opponent, earning a booking.
The free-kick was over 25 yards out but it was struck cleanly by Tyler Blackett and it hit the post with Blackman beaten.
Heading up to half-time, Man United were as good as they had been all game. Chalobah (pictured below) was in the right place to block a shot from McCullough while up the other end, Feruz hit a shot hard but it curved away from the target.
The Blues started the second half on the front foot, Lewis Baker’s on-target shot deflected wide by a Man United defender, but they found it harder to keep possession than in the first half and consequently were spending more time back in their own half.
On the hour Man United worked the ball behind the Chelsea defence but James Wilson slipped as he looked to find an opponent for a shot, and then Blackman mishandled the ball to give away a corner. The initial ball in did no immediate damage but it was never properly cleared, eventually falling to Wilson to slide the ball under Blackman. There were 61 minutes played.
Viveash made a substitution, Alex Kiwomya had been poised to come on before the goal, and he now replaced Affane.
It had been Man United’s half without a doubt but the Blues retook the lead on 67 minutes with a counter-attack when Chalobah won the ball near halfway. The England Under 19 international passed to Feruz and went for the return which didn’t come. Instead Feruz’s pass rebounded back to him off a defender so he raced forward before cracking a shot into the bottom corner from a good 25 yards. It was a special strike. ‘One team in Europe’ sang the celebrating Chelsea fans inside Old Trafford.
Now the Blues were back in control and Kiwomya had a shot blocked by the keeper. Into the last 10 minutes and both sides were increasingly making mistakes as the occasion and the big pitch began to take its toll.
But Chelsea successful saw the game out, Kiwomya’s freshness and pace forcing Man United into retreat in the dying minutes.
‘It was obviously a very tight game, and an outstanding advert for youth football,’ said a pleased Viveash after the game.
‘The pitch was lovely and our boys thrived on that. We started tremendously well and in the first 20 minutes the game could have been out of sight. We scored a grest goal through Amin Affane and had several other opportunities but unfortunately if you don’t take them against Man United, their front three have good movement and in the second part of the first half they worked themselves back into the game.
‘In the second half they got the equaliser when we looked liked we were going to get a second but at 1-1, the boys showed tremendous character again to go and get the winner.
‘I’ve told the boys they deserve a big pat on the back for trying to execute a game plan as young players away at Man United and they nearly did it to the letter, but it will be much harder at the Bridge.’
The date for the second leg at Stamford Bridge has yet to be announced.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Jamal Blackman; Todd Kane, Nathan Ake, Alex Davey, Adam Nditi (Nortei Nortey 85); John Swift, Nathaniel Chalobah (c), Lewis Baker; Lucas Piazon, Islam Feruz (Tom Howard 91), Amin Affane (Alex Kiwomya 64).
Unused subs: Mitchell Beeney, Dion Conroy.
Man United (4-2-3-1): Jonathan Sutherland; Liam Grimshaw, Luke McCullough (c), Nicholas Ioannou, Tyler Blackett; Jake Rudge (Luke Hendrie 75), Ben Pearson (Sam Byrne 75); Jack Barmby (Charni Ekangamene 91), Gyliano van Velzen, Mats Daehli; James Wilson.
Unused subs: Liam Jacob, Declan Dalley.
Returning to the scene of a heavy defeat in last season’s competition, Adi Viveash’s side stood up well to the Old Trafford test, Affane giving the Blues a deserved half-time lead.
Man United were strong after the restart and found an equaliser just past the hour but schoolboy Feruz continued his impressive form in this cup run to drill home a winner. Away goals do not count double in the FA Youth Cup in the event of level scores at the end of the second leg.
Viveash made one change to the starting line up from the previous round at Nottingham Forest. Nathaniel Chalobah moved forward into midfield, as he had done during the exciting fight back at the City Ground. Reece Mitchell made way with Alex Davey coming in at centre-back for his Youth Cup debut.
Only Jamal Blackman, Todd Kane, Chalobah and Adam Nditi played in the loss on this ground in the semi-final second leg last season, Nditi a half-time substitute that night. Two of the Man United team remained from a year ago.
It was a promising start by this season’s young Blues, enjoying plenty of the ball in the Man United half and centre-back Nathan Ake (pictured below) shot just over with the first chance after a corner wasn’t properly cleared.
On eight minutes Chelsea nicked possession high up the pitch and Feruz charged into the area but was dispossessed well by the home side’s captain Luke McCullough.
The momentum remained with the visitors and the breakthrough came on 13 minutes. There had been composed passing down the middle already and this time Feruz and Piazon linked up and when the ball bounced kindly off a defender, the Brazilian found Affane for a first-time low finish just inside the post from 10 yards.
Man United midfielder Jack Barmby was booked on 20 minutes for slicing down Nditi as the Blues continued to dominate possession.
A very good opportunity to go 2-0 ahead went begging as Piazon sliced a shot past the left-hand post after an excellent pass from Chalobah. That was on 30 minutes and three minutes later came the first truly loose piece of play from Chelsea. Nditi took a heavy touch, losing the ball and then pulled back his opponent, earning a booking.
The free-kick was over 25 yards out but it was struck cleanly by Tyler Blackett and it hit the post with Blackman beaten.
Heading up to half-time, Man United were as good as they had been all game. Chalobah (pictured below) was in the right place to block a shot from McCullough while up the other end, Feruz hit a shot hard but it curved away from the target.
The Blues started the second half on the front foot, Lewis Baker’s on-target shot deflected wide by a Man United defender, but they found it harder to keep possession than in the first half and consequently were spending more time back in their own half.
On the hour Man United worked the ball behind the Chelsea defence but James Wilson slipped as he looked to find an opponent for a shot, and then Blackman mishandled the ball to give away a corner. The initial ball in did no immediate damage but it was never properly cleared, eventually falling to Wilson to slide the ball under Blackman. There were 61 minutes played.
Viveash made a substitution, Alex Kiwomya had been poised to come on before the goal, and he now replaced Affane.
It had been Man United’s half without a doubt but the Blues retook the lead on 67 minutes with a counter-attack when Chalobah won the ball near halfway. The England Under 19 international passed to Feruz and went for the return which didn’t come. Instead Feruz’s pass rebounded back to him off a defender so he raced forward before cracking a shot into the bottom corner from a good 25 yards. It was a special strike. ‘One team in Europe’ sang the celebrating Chelsea fans inside Old Trafford.
Now the Blues were back in control and Kiwomya had a shot blocked by the keeper. Into the last 10 minutes and both sides were increasingly making mistakes as the occasion and the big pitch began to take its toll.
But Chelsea successful saw the game out, Kiwomya’s freshness and pace forcing Man United into retreat in the dying minutes.
‘It was obviously a very tight game, and an outstanding advert for youth football,’ said a pleased Viveash after the game.
‘The pitch was lovely and our boys thrived on that. We started tremendously well and in the first 20 minutes the game could have been out of sight. We scored a grest goal through Amin Affane and had several other opportunities but unfortunately if you don’t take them against Man United, their front three have good movement and in the second part of the first half they worked themselves back into the game.
‘In the second half they got the equaliser when we looked liked we were going to get a second but at 1-1, the boys showed tremendous character again to go and get the winner.
‘I’ve told the boys they deserve a big pat on the back for trying to execute a game plan as young players away at Man United and they nearly did it to the letter, but it will be much harder at the Bridge.’
The date for the second leg at Stamford Bridge has yet to be announced.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Jamal Blackman; Todd Kane, Nathan Ake, Alex Davey, Adam Nditi (Nortei Nortey 85); John Swift, Nathaniel Chalobah (c), Lewis Baker; Lucas Piazon, Islam Feruz (Tom Howard 91), Amin Affane (Alex Kiwomya 64).
Unused subs: Mitchell Beeney, Dion Conroy.
Man United (4-2-3-1): Jonathan Sutherland; Liam Grimshaw, Luke McCullough (c), Nicholas Ioannou, Tyler Blackett; Jake Rudge (Luke Hendrie 75), Ben Pearson (Sam Byrne 75); Jack Barmby (Charni Ekangamene 91), Gyliano van Velzen, Mats Daehli; James Wilson.
Unused subs: Liam Jacob, Declan Dalley.
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