Chelsea
secured the FA Youth Cup for the second year in succession after a
comprehensive 5-2 aggregate success over Manchester City.
Having won the first leg 3-1 in Manchester last week, the odds were heavily
in favour of the home side at Stamford Bridge although they suffered a scare
when Kelechi Iheanacho side-footed City in front after six minutes.
But goals from Isaiah Brown and Tammy Abraham restored order in front of the
club's owner Roman Abramovich and the Blues went on to retain the trophy for
the first time in 50 years thanks to a 2-1 victory in the second leg.
Iheanacho's cool finish gave Chelsea pause for thought, but they quickly
regrouped with Charly Musonda orchestrating matters in midfield and they
levelled on the night when Brown's header (20) evaded the grasp of
goalkeeper Kjetil Haug and squeezed over the line.
One minute into the second half, Dominic Solanke unselfishly set up Abraham
- the two-goal hero from the first leg - who kept his composure to put the
Chelsea youngsters ahead from 18 yards, to the delight of the bulk of the
11,000 present.
It was a fourth FA Youth Cup triumph in six seasons for the Stamford Bridge
U18s and it comes two weeks after they claimed the UEFA Youth League in
Switzerland.
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