MANCHESTER CITY EDS 2, CHELSEA U21 2
- Manchester City EDS take the lead twice through Lukas Nmecha and Thierry Ambrose
- Ike Ugbo levels first time for Chelsea U21
- Cameron Humphreys is sent off for second booking
- Mason Mount grabs 89th minute equaliser for Chelsea
Manchester City’s EDS team were denied a win over Chelsea U21 thanks to a late equaliser after they were reduced to 10-men late in the game after twice taking the lead.
Lukas Nmecha’s goal just before half time was City’s reward for shading the first half against Chelsea’s U21 team but they were pegged back shortly after the break when they failed to clear Mason Mount’s corner and Ike Ugbo stabbed in the equaliser.
Second half sub Thierry Ambrose’s goal put City back into the lead and could have increased it further when he had a shot saved but the home side had to hang on after Cameron Humphreys was sent off late on.
They couldn’t hold off the Chelsea pressure, though, and Mason Mount equalised in the 89th minute.
Several of the City EDS team had seen first team action already this season, so the EDS team had a familiar ring to it but while there was plenty of action at the City Football Academy neither goalkeeper was tested in the early stages.
City should have made more of the first half as the visitors had to cope with the low bright sun in their eyes – a feature which would go on to affect both teams.
Aleix Garcia tried out a range of passing which didn’t always come off but Brahim Diaz and Paolo Fernandes kept the Chelsea defence engaged with some neat interchange of passing. City came closest to breaking the deadlock with a some half chances with a shot by Fernandes and crosses by James Horsfield and Diaz cut out by some alert defending by Chelsea.
City kept the pressure up and another powerful shot by Garcia went for a corner which the Spanish midfielder whipped in and saw converted by Lukas Nmecha who flicked the ball past Bradley Collins in the Chelsea goal on the stroke of half time.
Chelsea made two changes at the break and immediately looked a better side with the sun at their back and clear instructions to press City harder.
Trevoh Chalobah’s flick on from Mason Mount’s corner was stabbed in by Ike Ugbo after City failed to clear the threat although Angelino tried unsuccessfully to clear the ball off the line.
Jay Dasilva’s free kick was saved by Billy O’Brien as Chelsea looked to use the low sun to their advantage.
Josimar Quintero had a claim for a penalty turned down while Ugbo had a tame shot saved by O’Brien as City reeled from the second half blow.
City allowed a raid by Mount and substitute Jacob Maddox to drive into their area before clearing the ball as Chelsea passed their way into a chooting position before the ball was finally cleared on the hour mark.
For all their pressing, Chelsea were unable to contain City who began to carve out chances after breaking the Chelsea press.
Garcia’s cross was flicked on by Tosin Adarabioyo and cleared off the line by a Chelsea defender before Thierry Ambrose put City into the lead on 64 minutes after latching onto Isaac Buckley-Rickett’s header.
Ambrose was denied a quick second by Collins soon afterwards as City looked to kill the game with Chelsea still posing questions.
City lost Cameron Humphreys to a second yellow card with 13 minutes to go and O’Brien had to save low to his left from Mount’s subsequent 25 yard free kick as City lived dangerously towards the end of the game.
Mount finally grabbed the equaliser with just over a minute to go as City couldn’t hang on for the win.