MANCHESTER CITY U18 3, WEST HAM U18 0
A penalty by Lukas Nmecha and a cool finish from six yards either side of a 25 yard drive into the top corner by Rodney Kongolo saw Manchester City U18 beat their West Ham counterparts in an entertaining encounter at the Manchester City Football Academy.
Paolo Fernandes was a late replacement for Javairo Dilrosun in City’s U18 team to face West Ham and made the most of his starting chance by winning a penalty and forcing Sam Howes to make an acrobatic save midway through the first half as well as presenting a constant threat down City’s right side.
The midfielder had already seen a shot go wide before he was brought down by Reece Hannam as he drove into the Hammers’ penalty area.
Lukas Nmecha coolly slotted the penalty into the bottom right corner past Howes as City took a deserved early lead after 15 minutes.
City fans watching the game prior to the late Premier League kick off will have seen some glimpses of the silky skills of Brahim Diaz with one early weaving run on the ball catching the eye and the youngster also drew applause when trying to stay on his feet and make his way past a clutch of West Ham defenders in the area after a cutback by Nmecha.
Diaz and Fernandes ensured that City dominated the early stage of this game and they would continue to push the visitors into the second half.
The Hammers rallied towards the end of the first half, with Jamal Ingram’s shot saved by Daniel Grimshaw in the 37th minute.
Aaron Nemane almost got on the end of a Callum Bullock right wing cross after Howes jumped but lost the flight of the looping ball early in the second half as City tried to extend their lead in the second period.
And with Diaz continuing to run the game City had a chance to score against through Rodney Kongolo from Fernandes’ cross, while Fernandes overran a sweet Diaz through ball minutes later.
Kongolo wasn’t going to be denied, though, and he scored a sweet 25 yard drive into the top corner in the 63rd minute, after creating space for himself with a clever drag back, with Howes at full stretch, after the ball broke to him.
And a succession of exchanged passes between substitute Will Patching and Nmecha ended with Patching’s lofted pass finding his team mate in space and able to finish from six yards out to make it 3-0 with 15 minutes to go.
Patching’s casually rolled corner almost took the Hammers by surprise when Nmecha was denied a hat trick by a Howes save in the 81st minute as City ended the game in complete control.