Under 18s: Yuel Helafu and Jariyah Shah celebrate equaliser v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Yuel Helafu and Jariyah Shah celebrate equaliser v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
After a quiet opening half, the contest burst into life after the restart, ignited by a couple of pieces of magic from either side, as Hezekiah Grimwade saw his free-kick opener quickly cancelled out by Yuel Helafu’s fine individual run and finish.
Chelsea reinstated their advantage through substitute Gabriel Sambou but once again, United soon drew level, with Jaume Camacho finishing coolly for a second equaliser, ultimately winning Darren Fletcher’s side a point.
Read on for our account from an entertaining head-to-head in the capital…
Under 18s: Edson DeJonge-Seiros on the ball v Chelsea | 10 October
Under 18s: Edson DeJonge-Seiros on the ball v Chelsea | 10 October
Under 18s | Junior Brown close-up image v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s | Junior Brown close-up image v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Kai Rooney v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Kai Rooney v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Yuel Helafu on the ball v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Yuel Helafu on the ball v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Connor Laurie v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Connor Laurie v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s | Darren Fletcher on the sideline | 10 October 2026
Under 18s | Darren Fletcher on the sideline | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Yuel Helafu scores v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Yuel Helafu scores v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Jaume Camacho scores v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Jaume Camacho scores v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Jaume Camacho celebrates goal v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
Under 18s: Jaume Camacho celebrates goal v Chelsea | 10 October 2026
FIRST HALF - PROMISING SIGNS IN STALEMATE
As you would expect for a match-up between Chelsea and United at any level, this proved to be an even contest, with the two sides largely cancelling each other out for much of the opening stages.
That was perhaps affected by the Reds returning from a three-week absence. We were last in action in mid-September with a 6-0 win over Wolves, and Fletcher made four changes from that game. Helafu and Rafe McCormack were back in defence and Edson DeJonge-Seiros started on the left of our attack, while Kai Rooney led the line through the middle.
Rooney and Camacho combined well early on, the latter - who would prove a key threat all morning for the Reds - seeing his effort blocked, and McCormack was responsible for a similarly important intervention at the other end to thwart Mathis Eboue.
Eboue looked as though he would provide the hosts’ main threat, and very nearly put them ahead within a quarter of an hour, when his low drive across goal rebounded off the outside of the far post and to safety.
That opportunity aside, United looked the likelier to make a breakthrough, as Jariyah Shah had a low effort saved following a corner, while Camacho saw the first of a series of efforts blocked.
As the half drew to a close, two moments of United winning it back high up the pitch teed up a pair of promising opportunities, with Rooney cutting on to his left and shooting just over, before Camacho forced a near-post stop from Bell before the break.
SECOND HALF - A FLURRY OF CHANCES
Even with the promising signs of the opening 45 minutes, the second half proved to be a different story for both sides - demonstrated by Eboue whipping a low ball dangerously across the face within a minute of the restart, and drawing a reaction stop from Charlie Hardy moments later.
Jay McEvoy whipped a free-kick just off target at the other end as Junior Brown and Helafu combined to tee up Camacho, who swept goalwards but Dante Waite produced a vital block to stop what looked a certain goal.
Just minutes later, Chelsea took the lead, just as United looked to be gaining momentum. There was nothing Hardy could do about the strike, with Grimwade curling a free-kick brilliantly off the underside of the bar and into the top left corner.
United responded straightaway and after Camacho unleashed yet another strike, this time held by Bell, some magic of our own brought the contest back level just after the hour. It was Helafu, venturing forward from right-back, who took aim from the edge of the box after chopping back on to his left foot, as he sensationally curled home.
That looked like it might kickstart a turnaround when Camacho played through DeJonge-Seiros down the left side of the box, whose dinked effort across goal dropped agonisingly wide of the far post.
Chelsea then grabbed a second goal which - like the first - hadn't felt like it was coming. Sambou, off the bench earlier in the half, latched on to a second ball and opened up his body in the opposition area to score.
United were not dispirited, however, equalising for a second time, only five minutes later. Fed by Jacob Watson, Camacho picked it up from distance and cleverly beat his marker to break into the box, where he finished with a fine strike, which was deserved given the threat he'd shown all morning.
Both sides pushed for a winner in the final stages, as Brown looked set to go through on goal but was thwarted by Waite’s last-ditch challenge, while McEvoy unleashed a shot from distance into the side netting in stoppage-time.
There would be no decisive fifth goal to conclude a thrilling second half, but the point maintains United position as the leader of the pack in Group F of the U18 Premier League Cup ahead of Chelsea, with a superior goal difference, before our final group game at home to Wolves next month.
MATCH DETAILS
CHELSEA
Line-up: Bell; Waite, Alao (Silva 46), Echo Hall; Da Silva, Dako, Eboue (Sambou 52), Grimwald, McGillvary (Perez 72); Greenwood (Rabbaj 69).
Subs not used: Collinson, Ayinde, Pennie.
Goals: Grimwade 57, Sambou 71.
UNITED
Line-up: Hardy; Helafu, Laurie (Ngwashi 68), McCormack, J. Watson; McEvoy, Shah (Eze 68); Brown, Camacho (Carrick 83), DeJonge-Seiros (Ziro 77); Rooney (McLaughlin 77).
Subs not used: Watson, O'Brien.
Goals: Helafu 62, Camacho 76.
Booked: Ngwashi 89.
Noah Ajayi signs his United deal
Noah Ajayi signs his United deal
Jariyah Shah celebrates with team-mates after scoring v Wolves
Jariyah Shah celebrates with team-mates after scoring v Wolves