U21s Report: Manchester City 2 Leicester City 3

Played at Man City’s new Academy Stadium, goals from Jose Angel Pozo and Olivier Ntcham put the Manchester club into a 2-0 lead, but Panayiotou struck twice either side of a Simonas Stankevicius goal to complete the sensational turnaround.
The result meant City finish top of Group C in the competition after three wins from three, and will now face a home tie against either Celtic, Everton, Sunderland or Villarreal in the quarter-finals, with the fate of that group yet to be decided.
The Foxes stormed to a 6-2 Barclays U21 Premier League win over Patrick Vieira’s side at King Power Stadium back in October, and went into the tie on the back of a battling goalless league draw at Tottenham Hotspur last time out.
City sat second in Group C of the competition going into the clash after beating both Schalke and Benfica, while the Citizens topped the group on greater goal difference, having also emerged victorious against the German and Portuguese outfits.
In fine form after three wins from their last four games, the hosts opened the scoring after just five minutes. Winger Adam Drury burst down the right wing and delivered a low cross into the six-yard box which Pozo slotted in past Jonny Maddison, who looked unfortunate to concede after getting a glove to the ball.
A combination of Maddison and Joe Davis prevented Vieira’s men from doubling their lead on 14 minutes. City’s shot-stopper parried Pozo’s 20-yard strike before Davis put in a fine last-ditch challenge on Jordy Hiwula to stopped the No.11 from firing in the rebound.
Man City’s second goal came mid-way through the first half. Ntcham broke the Foxes’ offside trap and produced a cool finish for his side’s second of the game.
But City responded well, and got themselves back into the game with 10 minutes of the first period to play. Jak McCourt delivered a corner to defender Davis, who hooked the ball into the path of Panayiotou. The St. Kitts and Nevis international produced a neat flick past goalkeeper Ian Lawlor to halve the deficit.
Panayiotou went close again a minute later, hammering a half-volley just over the bar, before Alie Sesay’s long-range strike flew wide – City right back in the tie after going two goals down.
Joe Dodoo did well to beat two defenders down the right flank just before half-time, but the attacker’s low cross was cut out at the front post by Ellis Plummer – 2-1 to the Citizens at the break.
Buoyed by their late first half rally, it took just one minute of the second half for the Foxes to draw level. Dodoo curled a pin-point cross into Lithuania international Stankevicius, who powered a header past Lawlor to make it 2-2.
Half-time substitute Louis Rowley then caused mayhem in the opposition box, and after pinching the ball from the feet of ‘keeper Lawlor, Panayiotou was on hand to stab the ball into the net for his second of the game on 53 minutes.
Young left-back Ben Chilwell did well just after the hour mark to block Drury’s low drive, before Elliott Moore stole the ball off Jack Byrne as the No.10 looked to pull the trigger.
Panayiotou could have had his hat-trick at the death, but couldn’t generate the desired power to beat Lawlor, and City saw out the remaining few minutes to seal the victory.
With top spot in Group C secured, Beaglehole’s youngsters will now turn their attentions to their U21 Premier League clash with Norwich at Belvoir Drive on Monday 9 February.
MAN CITY: Lawlor, Bossaerts, Maffeo, Plummer, Tasende, Glendon (c), Drury, Ntcham, Pozo (Celina 62), Byrne (Boadu 69), Hiwula
SUBS NOT USED: Oliver, Gunn, Bryan, Tattum, Bullock
GOALS: Pozo 5, Ntcham 21
CITY: Maddison, Pearson (c), Chilwell, Sesay (Scott 46), Moore, Davis (Kennedy 89), Choudhury (Rowley 46), McCourt, Stankevicius, Panayiotou, Dodoo
SUBS NOT USED: Smith-Varnham, Fox
GOALS: Panayiotou 35, 53, Stankevicius 47
REFEREE: David Richardson