MANCHESTER CITY U19 3, VIKTORIA PLZEN U19 1
City got their UEFA Youth League campaign back on track with a 3-0 victory against visitors Viktoria Plzen that sent them back to joint top position of Group D.
Captained by Shay Facey in the continued absence of Marcos Lopes, the home side were never troubled by Plzen despite some committed defending by the visitors.
It took till the 21st minute until City finally broke down the Plzen wall, with the attack coming from the left flank again as Kean Bryan crossed for Devante Cole to convert at the back post.
Cole doubled the lead two minutes later when a clever lay off just outside the area took out a defender and the City marksman was left to slot past Josef Jurasi in the goal. It was his 5th goal of the competition, drawing level with Lopes as one of the deadliest young marksmen in European club competition alongside Real Madrid’s Juan Jose Narvaez and Manchester United’s James Wilson.
Plzen improved after the break and City ‘keeper Billy O’Brien had to parry a stinging shot by Vitezslav Hrdlicka early in th second half but City finished off the visitors 10 minutes from the end when Jose Angel Pozo converted Sinan Bytyqi’s cut back.
If City qualify for the knockout phase they face the prospect of playing single-leg ties with the subsequent semi-final and final to be played at the Colovray Stadium in Nyon, Switzerland in a single-leg format too.
Attendance: 834