Recapping City’s Excellent U18 Premier League Cup Run
After reaching the last-four of the competition, alongside consistent performances in U18 Premier League South and the FA Youth Cup, it's been a promising campaign so far in another tournament for the Club's youngsters.
The Premier League Cup campaign began with the group stage in early October as City’s youngsters welcomed Newcastle to LCFC Training Ground. After a goalless first half, the Foxes broke the deadlock nine minutes into the second period courtesy of Abdullah Javid’s strike, assisted by Will Alves.
Alves was involved again as Leicester doubled their advantage just four minutes later, setting up Brandon Cover for the second goal. The Magpies pulled one back virtually straight from kick-off, with Michael Ndiweni capitalising to halve the deficit for the visitors.
However, Jack Butterfill made the game safe late on, with Alves capping off a memorable afternoon by contributing a hat-trick of assists deep into stoppage-time.
A week later, City were in cup action again, this time on their travels, visiting Southampton’s Snows Stadium. Things did not go to plan on the south coast, though, with Fedel Lang converting a 20th-minute penalty for the hosts.
Their lead was extended on the stroke of half-time, with Dominic Ballard turning home Kami Doyle’s set-up to establish an unassailable two-goal cushion for the Saints.
That left the Foxes requiring a result in their final group game to have any chance of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition. The side coached by Adam Barradell, though, produced a scintillating display in Seagrave to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Facing Nottingham Forest at LCFC Training Ground in late November, Leicester’s youthful outfit made their intentions clear from the first whistle, going ahead when Joe Wormleighton found Kian Pennant to slot home the opener inside two minutes.
One became three very quickly, courtesy of Chris Popov’s quick-fire brace, with both goals set up by his strike partner Pennant during a blistering five-minute period.
The symmetry of the goals continued when Wormleighton was on hand to assist Pennant’s second of the afternoon, giving City a four-goal advantage at the break. Forest were able to add to the scoresheet late in the second half, though Josh Powell’s 88th-minute goal was nothing more than a consolation.
After a nervous wait to see if City had indeed qualified, their place in the last-eight and a meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion was confirmed. Travelling back down to the south coast, the Foxes faced the Seagulls at the AMEX Elite Football Performance Centre.
The tie, played on 12 February, remained a stalemate until the final moments of the first half. Ruairi McConville turned the ball into his own net to hand the away side a crucial advantage heading into the second period.
McConville wasted little time making amends, drawing his side level with a goal at the right end on the hour-mark.
With the game on a knife-edge, Leicester struck the crucial blow with a quarter of an hour to play. Zac Booth found the goal that would send his team into the semi-finals of the U18 Premier League Cup and move a step closer to creating history.
City could secure a second semi-final spot next week when they travel to face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the FA Youth Cup Quarter-Finals (7pm GMT kick-off).