U18s Report: City 0 Man United 1

It was Andreas Periera’s heavily deflected 101st minute strike that sent United through to the fifth round, and cruelly denied Leicester, who did have chances of their own and defended well throughout. 

The United skipper’s shot struck defender Sam Jones and bounced up and over a helpless Liam Sharpe after the hard-working Foxes were beginning to get the better of their opponents.

Academy Director Jon Rudkin said afterwards: “Football can sometimes send these little cruel moments in games. Their ‘keeper made a magnificent save to deny us, and then 30 seconds later they scored a deflected goal at the other end.

“We were disappointed not to score - we created chances and it was a tight affair, but sadly we came out on the wrong side of it. There are a lot of disappointed players in the dressing room, but they can take a great deal from the game.

“It’s important that we go away from tonight’s game by using the experience we’ve had here at King Power Stadium for the future.”

Leicester’s first chance of the game came after 18 minutes, when striker Danny Rowe picked out Kyle Bailey on the right-hand side, but the midfielder’s strike was comfortably saved by United ‘keeper Joel Periera. 

City came close to taking the lead after 28 minutes, when Eddy Samba found Rowe in space on the right-hand side.

Rowe cut inside and fired at goal, but his powerful strike was acrobatically saved in the top right-hand corner by United ‘keeper Periera. 

United struggled to break through the Foxes defence, and were forced to shoot from distance, with strikers Josh Harrop and Andreas Periera testing Leicester’s Sharpe but the Foxes ‘keeper gathered comfortably on both occasions. 

Man United’s best chance came with 35 minutes on the clock, when striker Andreas Periera wiggled through the Foxes defence, but he blasted a left-footed shot wide from close range.  

The Foxes had another chance in the latter stages of the first-half, when the ball fell kindly to Matty Miles and he drilled a powerful strike from 30-yards out, but his effort was well saved by Joel Periera. 

United started the second half brightly, but struggled to find the breakthrough, with Andreas Periera and Nick Cannon firing wide for the Red Devils. 

After soaking up United’s pressure for most of the second-half, Leicester had a golden opportunity with 15 minutes remaining, when Bailey broke free on the left-hand side.

The Foxes midfielder played an accurate low cross that United ‘keeper Joel Periera failed to gather, and striker Brandon Fox pounced on the loose ball, but struck just wide from close range. 

United had a late chance to snatch victory in normal time with 88 minutes gone, when they were awarded a free-kick around 20-yards out, after Jones fouled Andreas Periera.

The United striker stepped up to take the resulting free-kick and curled a left-footed strike that was acrobatically tipped over by City ‘keeper Sharpe. 

As the game entered extra-time, Leicester started brightly and Rowe had a fine chance to give the Foxes the lead, but his left-footed shot was well saved by ‘keeper Joel Periera. 

The deadlock was finally broken after 101 minutes when Andreas Periera gave United a 1-0 lead in highly fortuitous circumstances. 

The United striker’s shot from the edge of the 18-yard box was deflected off City centre-back Jones, and looped over helpless Leicester ‘keeper Sharpe and into the goal to give United the lead. 

City continued to press for an equaliser but failed to make the breakthrough, and Andreas Periera’s late goal proved to be decisive, cruelly denying the Foxes after a resilient display.

Next up for Leicester’s Academy is a trip to Fulham in the U18s Barclays Premier League on Saturday 1 February. 

CITY: Sharpe, King, Chilwell, Miles, Jones, Pepe Ngoma (c), Bailey (Olukani, 110), Samba, Stankevicius, Rowe, Fox

SUBS NOT USED: Smith, Casey, Smith, Moore, Dusabe

MAN UNITED: Periera, Evans, Barber, McConnell, Cannon, Goss, Janko, Willock, Rashford (Mitchell, 81), Periera (c), Harrop (Riley, 110) 

SUBS NOT USED: Borthwick-Jackson, Henderson, Thompson

GOAL: Andreas Periera, 101