Manchester United’s young prospects won an entertaining clash against Sunderland to reach the FA Youth Cup semi-finals.
Darren Fletcher’s Manchester United under-18s team have beaten Sunderland 3-2 in the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals.
United led the dramatic game 1-0 at half-time before two quickfire Sunderland goals in the second half gave the visitors a surprise lead.
Fletcher’s young guns did not panic and bounced back decisively with two late goals to wrap up a 3-2 win.
Manchester United U18 v Sunderland U18: FA Youth Cup
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
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Manchester United’s under-18s impressive three goals vs Sunderland
Manchester United and Sunderland both gave good accounts of themselves over the 90 minutes, with all five goals of impressive quality.
United’s strikes were particularly special. Noah Ajayi scored the first goal with a rocket from outside the box in the first half.
After picking up a pass in his own half, Ajayi ran forward cutting in from the left, before unleashing a powerful low shot into the bottom corner. It was an impressive solo goal that continued his own impressive form.
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With United then trailing 2-1, the game turned with Chido Obi‘s equaliser.
Obi’s pressing won the ball back at the halfway line to set himself up with a one-v-one opportunity, with Sunderland defenders chasing him down.
As Obi bore down on goal he looked to have miscontrolled the ball, before he improvised to toe-poke the ball between a recovering defender and the goalkeeper.
United’s final goal was a worthy winner. Winger Nathaniel Junior Brown smashed a shot high into the net from the corner of the penalty box at the Stretford End.
Brown’s goal gave United a 3-2 lead to book a place in the semi-finals at home to Crystal Palace.
JJ Gabriel still makes decisive impact
JJ Gabriel, 15, has been the star of Manchester United’s under-18s season, and has been the team’s top goalscorer.
The fact he did not score in this game and United still won, was testament to the ability across the team.
It was useful for them too. They showed they do not need to rely on Gabriel’s goals to win matches, and it’s clear Ajayi, Obi and Brown are big talents in their own right.
Gabriel certainly helped, however. He provided the match-winning assist for Brown to score the winner, picking him out in space inside the penalty box.
The young talent will want to add more assists to his games to go with his goals, and this might have been his most important one yet.
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