Manchester City U18 3, Chelsea U18 2 (FA Youth Cup Final 2019-2020)
Cole Palmer scored the winning goal in a 5 goal thriller to beat Chelsea and lift the FA Youth Cup for Manchester City for the first time in 12 years.
Embed from Getty ImagesBoth teams had traded goals with James McAtee and Morgan Rogers scoring for City in-between a Marcel Lewis opener and a Taylor Harwood-Bellis own goal.
But City deserved their prize as they hit the woodwork twice through Morgan Rogers and Jayden Braaf and it was fitting that Palmer would write the headlines to win City the FA Youth Cup for the third time in their history against a side they had lost three recent finals against.
Palmer buried his penalty misery from the April 2019 final against Liverpool with the winning goal and celebrated by lifting his shirt to unveil a tribute to his friend Jeremy Wisten, a former team mate who passed away recently.
Despite there being Champions League action on Tuesday against Olympiacos Pep Guardiola had already declared that it was more important that City’s best youngsters should play in the FA Youth Cup Final.
This allowed Carlos Vincens to name a strong City side to compete against a highly rated Chelsea side who had won the Cup seven times in the last 11 years since City last won it.
Five City players had played in the first team on the night and they played their part on a night of drama in the blustery conditions at St George’s Park.
The first half of this game summed up the senior team’s recent football history, with Chelsea taking the lead after a long ball defeated City’s high line.
Cieran Slicker raced off his line but couldn’t stop Marcel Lewis reaching a long ball from Tino Livramento first, rounding him, and slotting into the empty net.
James McAtee hit a first time equaliser after Tommy Doyle and Cole Palmer combined down the City right to pull the ball back for him.
Morgan Rogers hit the bar after the restart to give due warning to Chelsea that City were in the hunt for more goals.
Rogers then put City into the lead after Delap crossed the ball for him in the second half before Chelsea drew level somewhat fortuitously following a deflection off Taylor Harwood-Bellis after Lewis broke free down the left and chanced his arm with a shot.
Jayden Braaf came on with 15 minutes to go and saw his fierce effort tipped onto the bar by the Lucas Bergstrom in the Chelsea net.
Palmer put away a late rebound with 7 minutes to go after Braaf found Delap and his strike came back off the luckless Bergstrom and Livramento with a double deflection into the path of the City forward.
Palmer lifted his shirt up to reveal a tribute to his ex team-mate Jeremy Wisten who sadly died recently as City celebrated.
Chelsea had to throw caution to the wind but couldn’t find another goal with Miles Peart-Harris missing a golden chance crossed in by Livramento to equalise for Chelsea at the death as City deservedly won the action packed game.