U18 Report: City 3 Spurs 1

A first-half strike from Danny Rowe and an own goal from Spurs centre-back Connor Ogilvie gave Leicester a 2-0 half-time lead.

The Foxes extended their advantage after just four minutes of the second half through substitute Keenan King, but were denied a clean sheet when Spurs scored a consolation in the 86th minute, after a clinical finish from Anthony Georgiou.   

The Foxes saw incisive build-up play rewarded with the opener on 25 minutes when Ben Chilwell whipped in an inviting left-footed cross after good play down the left-hand side.  

Chilwell’s fine delivery caused mayhem in the Spurs defensive ranks, with centre-back Ogilvie’s attempted clearance flying into his own net past helpless ‘keeper Liam Preistly.  

Leicester doubled their lead on 37 minutes after another excellent delivery from the left-hand side, this time it was Simone Stankevicius who found Rowe unmarked inside the 18-yard box.

Rowe leapt higher than the Spurs defence and headed powerfully into the top right-hand corner to give Leicester a well-deserved 2-0 half-time lead, after a first half in which Spurs rarely threatened to score.  

Despite Spurs changes at the break, it was Leicester who started the second half brightly and they were rewarded after just four minutes. Substitute King fired a low shot into the left-hand corner after Matty Miles’ precise low cross, giving the Foxes a 3-0 lead. 

Leicester had a good chance to score a fourth on 76 minutes, but were denied by an acrobatic one-handed save from Priestly in the Spurs goal.

Miles’ excellent delivery from a corner found the impressive Chilwell, who leapt above the Spurs defence, but the left-back’s header was pulled out of the top left-hand corner.  

Leicester’s impressive defensive line stood firm until the 86th minute, when Georgiou stylishly finished off a four-man Spurs move.

The move began at right-back with Anton Walkes finding substitute Oduwa, who picked out fellow Spurs substitute Daniel Akindayni, with Georgiou applying the finish to deny the Foxes the shut-out their efforts had deserved.

City’s impressive all-round performance will give them great confidence going into next weekend’s Barclays Under-18 Premier League clash with Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion.

City:Sharpe, M. King, Chilwell, Miles, Jones, Pepe-Ngoma, Downes (Ndukwu), Samba, Stankevicius, Rowe, Fox (King).

Unused subs: Casey, Knight, Awuah.

Goals: Ogilvie og 25, Rowe 37, King 49.