Isaac Konde makes his debut as Manchester United U18s crash out of the Premier League Cup
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Manchester United U18s hosted Wolverhampton Wanderers at Carrington on Saturday morning in their final group stage match of the Premier League Cup.
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United went into the match level on points with Chelsea and needed to match or better the London side’s result in their final match to secure top spot in the group and secure advancement, with only the group winners moving on to the quarter-finals.
Darren Fletcher was without his in-form striker Kai Rooney, though, after the youngster picked up a red card last time out against Blackburn Rovers, forcing Fletcher to field a makeshift number nine in Jaume Camacho.
First half
United almost found an opening just a minute into the match when Jacob Watson’s through ball into the left channel found Noah Ajayi, who cut his marker inside and out, but the German’s hesitation to get a shot off allowed the defender to recover on the ground and poke the ball away.
The first half was backs against forwards as United launched attack after attack. Jay McEvoy was one of United’s standouts on the day, and he looked to carve Wolves up with a deft touch in midfield to open space and charge through before laying off to Junior Brown on the right, whose shot was tipped wide for a corner.
Brown then played provider minutes later when he cut the ball back from the right wing for Camacho to run onto, but another big save from Alfie Arnold kept United out.
United finished the match with 17 corners, one of which was bundled into the net just after the half-hour mark by McEvoy, but the referee was quick to call it off for an apparent foul amongst the crowd.
Summer signing Karim Cassim then tested the keeper before McEvoy got on the end of another corner, this time heading off the outside of the left post and out.
Despite the total dominance by United throughout the opening 45 minutes, the visitors snatched a goal right before the whistle to take a lead going into the break with their first shot of the match, following a blunder by Charlie Hardy when attempting to collect a corner delivery.
Second half
With Wolves taking the lead, they sat back even further in the second half, which meant United struggled to create openings as they did with regularity through the first half.
Matters were made worse on the hour mark when Wolves got down the left wing and crossed low inside to Max Hinks, who supplied a clinical finish to double their lead.
Chelsea’s match against Charlton, which kicked off at an earlier time, ended 3-1, which meant United needed four goals in the final half hour if they were to advance.
With the need for goals, Fletcher made a number of attacking substitutions, including the introduction of Isaac Konde for his debut after joining from Liverpool and Emmanuel Ziro, who slotted in as an attacking fullback.
It was the latter who made the biggest impression in the latter stages as he got forward to double up on the right wing with Edson Dejonge-Seiros, and the pair found Camacho inside for a golden chance that was blocked off the line by one of the many retreating Wolves players.
Ultimately, United were unable to make any breakthrough on the day, leaving them in second place and eliminated from the Premier League Cup, having been finalists in the competition last season.
Match facts
United: Hardy; Helafu (Ziro 65), Ngwashi, McCormack, J. Watson (O’Brien 72); McEvoy, Eze; Brown (Konde 72), Cassim (Mpofu 65), Ajayi (De Jonge-Seiros 65); Camacho-Sidos.
Unused subs: Ford, Carrick.
Feature image Molly Darlington via Getty Images