MAN CITY YOUTH 4, LEEDS UNITED YOUTH 0
Jayden Heskey, son of former England striker Emile, has clearly inherited his father’s goalscoring gene.
The teenage striker was on target for Manchester City who beat Leeds United after a super second-half showing to lift the FA Youth Cup for a fourth time and second time in four years.
Heskey, Justin Oboavwodue, Stephen Mfuni and Matty Warhurst scored the second-period goals which gave Ben Wilkinson’s Under-18s silverware at the Etihad where they enjoyed home advantage for the final.
City, for all their first-half possession, created little in the final third.
German Farid Alfa-Ruprecht had the ball in the net, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
In stoppage time, Matty Henderson-Hall went closest to breaking the deadlock when his drive was deflected narrowly wide off Leeds’ Charlie Crew.
It was an altogether different story in the second period as City turned on the style to overwhelm the visitors.
The deadlock was broken within two minutes of the restart through the persistence of Justin Oboavwoduo.
The midfielder’s drive was well kept out by keeper Rory Mahady but he followed up and his second effort flew in off right-back Joe Richards.
Embed from Getty ImagesOboavwodue claimed the goal, but it remains to be seen who will eventually be credited as the scorer.
And City doubled their lead just before the hour following a well-worked move which ended with Alfa-Ruprecht sending over a low cross from the right of the box which Heskey slotted home from six yards which was followed by his dad’s trademark DJ goal celebration.
City made certain of victory with their third goal in the 70th minute,
Joel Ndala’s free kick bounced up off a defender. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey who headed the ball forward for 16-year-old midfielder to nod in at the far post.
City added a fourth goal with 10 minutes left when substitute Warhurst ran from deep and from the left of the box fired a low shot in off the far upright,
Leeds rarely threatened, though they almost netted a consolation in stoppage time when Charlie Crew’s shot was well kept out by keeper True Grant.