U18聯賽盃 - Everton 0 - 1 Chelsea - 切爾西足球俱樂部 Chelsea Football Club

U18英超聯賽盃四強戰


https://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2018/02/
under-18s-report--everton-v-chelsea.html

Under-18s report: Everton 0 Chelsea 1

Sat 17 Feb 2018


It was semi-final success on Merseyside for our youngsters as they booked
a place in the Under-18 Premier League Cup final with a spirited victory
over Everton.


After finishing ahead of Brighton, Newcastle and Blackburn in the group
stage, Jody Morris's side needed extra-time to overcome Sunderland in the
quarter-final at the end of last month. However, the job was done in 90
minutes at Everton's Finch Farm training ground on a mild morning in the
north-west.


The outcome was more emphatic than the 1-0 scoreline suggested as we
dominated proceedings and created the vast majority of the game's chances.
Marc Guehi’s first-half goal settled the encounter, the defender reacting
quickest in the box to score his seventh of the campaign, though the
visitors were grateful for the intervention of the crossbar to keep out
Ellis Simms's header late on. Apart from that scare, our defensive work
was impressive and a clean sheet well-earned, as was a place in the
competition final.


Morris made three changes from the victory over Sunderland as Clinton Mola
and Marcel Lavinier came into the back four, while schoolboy midfielder
Tino Anjorin returned further forward.


Tariq Lamptey and Guehi comprised the remainder of the defence as we
reverted to 4-2-3-1 with Karlo Ziger retained in goal following his
extra-time penalty save against the Black Cats. Captain Conor Gallagher
partnered Billy Gilmour in central midfield, with Anjorin joining George
McEachran and Tariq Uwakwe in support of striker Martell Taylor-Crossdale.


The Toffees came into the contest as a side in form, a point off top in
the Under-18 Premier League North with a game in hand and on the back of a
win in the mini Merseyside derby last weekend, though their early FA Youth
Cup exit heightened the desire to go far in this inaugural cup competition.


Morris's men arrived on Merseyside unbeaten in any competition since
October and confident following their advance to the Youth Cup
quarter-finals in midweek. They enjoyed much of the early play in the
opening 15 minutes, with our three attacking midfielders finding frequent
pockets of space in which to exploit.


The trio combined to fashion our first chance as Uwakwe punched a pass
forward for Anjorin to receive on the half-turn. The England Under-17
international spotted the run of McEachran and threaded a ball forward but
home keeper Nicolas Hansen was off his line quickly to win the race.


Anjorin's inside-left starting position was a source of danger and he
dragged our first effort just wide following Lamptey's dangerous run and
cross from the right. The 16-year-old then won the ball high after sloppy
play out from the goalkeeper but opted to find McEachran rather than shoot
at goal when the direct route seemed more appropriate.


The Blues had the ball in the net midway through the first period,
Gilmour's deep free-kick won in the air by Guehi and turned in by Uwakwe,
though the linesman's flag cut short our celebrations. However, Everton
continued to struggle to stem our momentum as the half progressed, unable
to enjoy any time in possession in the face of our persistent pressing.


A typically enterprising run from Lamptey fashioned a sight at goal but
Con Ouzounidis was across to make an important block before Uwakwe brought
a flying save from Hansen with a shot from the edge of the 18-yard box.


The deadlock was broken 10 minutes before the break as Guehi struck again,
his third goal in three games. A corner was floated in from the left and
headed towards goal by the defender, who reacted quickest to the blocked
attempt and turned the loose ball beyond Hansen from five yards out.


Everton made a double substitution at the break, introducing their top
scorer Anthony Gordon, but it was Morris's men who went close to striking
again after the restart. Anjorin advanced threateningly and fired
left-footed across goal, his low effort whistling just past the far post.


Taylor-Crossdale saw a shot blocked and Hansen saved from Anjorin as the
visitors continued to assert control in the tie, though their failure to
extend the advantage left them vulnerable. Lamptey had an opportunity from
the right after more good play from Anjorin to play in the full-back but
his finish was wayward from a tight angle.


With their cup ambitions fading, the Toffees had to take more risks going
forward and their efforts almost paid dividends. A delivery from the right
was inviting for Simms and the striker powered a header towards the top
corner, though the crossbar came to our rescue and a combination of
Lavinier and Guehi cleared the following danger.


Uwakwe forced a decent save from Hansen down the other end as Marcel
Lewis's arrival added a different attacking option for the Blues. The
schoolboy threatened in the box with dazzling quick footwork after
Taylor-Crossdale had launched a counter-attack from halfway, though the
final pass for McEachran was delayed and the flag raised for offside. It
was just as well for the hosts, as Hansen had rushed out to take down our
midfielder and a penalty would surely have been awarded.


Our youngsters had to call on their vast reserves of character and
resilience in the final 10 minutes to secure their place in the final.
Guehi made a good block to thwart Simms before substitute Korede Adedoyin
steered a shot wide.


There were chances to settle the game late on, Taylor-Crossdale firing
straight at Hansen and Charlie Brown denied by the keeper, but this was a
fully deserved victory for our battling youngsters. They outclassed their
hosts, stood strong in the face of a physical challenge and demonstrated
the winning habits that have produced so much silverware for our Academy
in the last decade. The first chance to add to the trophy cabinet will
come next month, with Tottenham Hotspur our opposition in the final.


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https://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2018/02/
under-18s-reaction--commitment--mentality-and-spirit.html

Under-18s reaction: Commitment and spirit

Mon 19 Feb 2018


A gutsy performance from our youth team at the weekend saw them advance
into the first final of the campaign in the Under-18 Premier League Cup.


Marc Guehi's goal settled a fiery contest on Merseyside and set up a date
with Tottenham in the final, provisionally scheduled to be played next
month. After the game, manager Jody Morris expressed his pride at a
determined display from his young charges.


'It was competitive physically but I thought we totally dominated the
game,' he told the official Chelsea website. 'Apart from one cross in the
second half when they hit the bar with a header, we were in total control
and should have finished the game off after an hour with the amount of
chances we created in the first half and early in the second half.


'I enjoyed our performance more than the win against Tottenham in midweek,
even though the Youth Cup is usually the competition that gets all the
hype. It was a proper cup semi-final on a difficult pitch against a big
team in terms of size and we stepped up to the challenge. We showed proper
commitment, winning mentality and team spirit, played really well for each
other and dug in towards the end so I couldn't be prouder.'


The Under-18 Premier League Cup is in its inaugural campaign and started
with a group stage format before the knockout round. Four of the five
opponents we have faced were sides from the northern section of the
regional youth team programme, an opportunity for Morris's men to take on
unfamiliar challengers.


'The competition has been testing because a lot of the other teams have
been full-strength against us,' he continued. 'Everton are second in the
northern league and only a point off the top so it's even more pleasing to
win in the way we did.


'We played a central midfielder at left-back and didn't have the most
settled build-up, with a development squad game the night before and five
of that group involved with the first team, which naturally has a knock-on
effect. The lads dealt with that brilliantly and it was the type of
performance you hopefully look back on at the end of the season and say
was pivotal.'


The Blues demonstrated both technical superiority and physical proficiency
against the Toffees, a combination their manager felt was both necessary
and significant in their victory.


'The best teams are the ones that can react to anything,' explained
Morris. 'We had that in our make-up last season and I believe we've got it
again this year. We can match teams physically if they want a fight and we
can match the teams that want to play football.


'There were spicy tackles flying in, a couple that could have been
straight reds, but the boys dealt with it with class, they didn't react
with anything silly and we were tough as well. This competition is
designed to throw up different challenges and we displayed both sides of
the game really well.'


Chelsea (4-2-3-1)
Karlo Ziger

Tariq Lamptey Marcel Lavinier Marc Guehi Clinton Mola

Conor Gallagher (c) Billy Gilmour

Tariq Uwakwe George McEachran Tino Anjorin
(Marcel Lewis 75)
Martell Taylor-Crossdale
(Charlie Brown 90+1)


Unused subs - Nicolas Tie, Renedi Masampu, Jon Russell
Scorer - Guehi 35


Everton

Nicolas Hansen, Nathan Moore, Joe Anderson, Con Ouzounidis,

Elliot Richards (c) (Einar Iversen h/t), Ryan Astley, Manasse Mampala,

Tom Scully, Ellis Simms, Stephen Duke-McKenna (Korede Adedoyin 59),

Tom Warren (Anthony Gordon h/t)


Unused subs - Tom Murphy, Barney McKeown
Booked - Richards 11; Ouzounidis 32


Referee - Lee Hible

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"We believe the same thing."

"Maybe there is hope."
- 9x20 The Truth

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