Leicester City’s Under-18s collected their second win in Group A of their U18 Premier League Cup campaign to move top of their pool after beating Nottingham Forest 4-1 at LCFC Training Ground.
The young Foxes had already beaten Newcastle United 3-1 in their first group match, but then lost 2-0 to Southampton last time out.
Having put together a four-game unbeaten run in all competitions heading into Saturday’s match in Seagrave, City were full of confidence from the off, and that showed in the opening 45 minutes, during which they scored four first-half goals to blow their opponents away.
After just two minutes, Kian Pennant opened the scoring, assisted by captain Joe Wormleighton, and then a six-minute brace from Chris Popov – twice set up by Pennant – put the Club’s youngsters in a commanding 3-0 lead.
That advantage was extended with 11 minutes of the first period to play, when Wormleighton and Pennant combined again, with the latter netting his second of the game.
Only a late effort from Forest’s Josh Powell denied Kelechi Chibueze a clean sheet in what proved to be another dominant performance from the young Foxes.
With Newcastle and Southampton yet to play each other in Group A, the winner of the pool is yet to be determined. The seven group winners and the best runner-up, decided by total points and then goal difference followed by head-to-head record, will advance to the quarter-finals.
The details…
City: Chibueze, Grist, Godsmark-Ford, Wilson-Brown, Lindsay, Cover (Lewis 83’), Cartwright, Butterfill (Dawkins 76’), Wormleighton, Popov, Pennant.
Subs not used: Cook, Weeks, Kutshienza.
Goals: Pennant 2’, 34’, Popov 13’, 18’.
