U18 Report: City 2 Chelsea 1

Mukhtar Ali scored after just eight minutes for the Blues, but second-half goals from strikers Brandon Fox and Danny Rowe saw the Foxes take all three points in the Barclays Under-18 Premier League.

Victory for Leicester sees them continue a good sequence of results at home, after beating Spurs at Belvior Drive in their previous home fixture. 

The game came to life after just eight minutes when Reece Mitchell found Ali on the Chelsea left. Ali turned smartly and slotted a side-footed finish into the far corner past City ‘keeper Liam Sharpe. 

Despite the early goal, City kept Chelsea quiet for the remainder of the first half and had a chance to equalise on 28 minutes after Luke Downs set up Sam Jones inside the 18-yard box, but Jones’ effort was just wide.

City started the second half brightly and were rewarded on 62 minutes, when the ball fell to Fox after good play from Simone Stankevicius on the right-hand side.

Fox punished Chelsea for failing to clear their defensive lines and fired into the bottom right-hand corner past helpless Chelsea ‘keeper Bradley Collins.

City survived a scare shortly after they equalised when Chelsea were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the 18-yard box. George Cole stepped up to take the resulting free-kick but his effort was well saved by Sharpe.

Leicester continued to dominate the second half and completed a hard-fought comeback on 76 minutes after Fox won a free-kick on the left. Ben Chilwell curled in an excellent left-footed cross and Rowe headed in from close-range.

The Foxes had a chance for a third goal late-on after a lovely ball from Stankevicius played in Eddy Samba, but his cross was well blocked by Chelsea defender Ola Aina. 

Next up for City is a trip to Southampton, as the young Foxes look to build on two excellent recent results.