A second half brace from Luke Harris shocked Manchester City and sent Fulham’s under 18s into the semi-finals of the Premier League Cup at Motspur Park this afternoon.
The sixteen year-old starlet seized on a dreadful mistake from City goalkeeper Josh McNamara to give the hosts a lead their enterprising football deserved eleven minutes into the second half. In attempting to play out from the back, McNamara played a shocking ball straight to Harris who had the simplest of tasks to slot into the empty net. The Welsh under-18 international then settled the tie with nine minutes to play when he headed home a fine cross from Fulham’s false nine, Imani Lanquedoc.
Ali Melloul’s youngsters thoroughly deserved their victory over City, who have won the domestic double for the last two seasons. The new under-18 coach’s tactical plan to beat arguably the country’s best team at this age group worked perfectly, with Lanquedoc leading the line in place of the absent Ollie Sanderson and Terrell Works lining up on the left wing. Lanquedoc got plenty of early joy out of the City defence but he would have been disappointed to lash over from a promising position after eighteen minutes.
Devan Tanton drilled an effort over the bar four minutes later before loud penalty appeals were waved away after George Okkas’ goalbound drive appeared to have been blocked by a City arm. The visitors struggled for their usual fluency in possession and Michael Allen in the Fulham goal was untested at half-time, but the hosts had failed to find the vital breakthrough.
That changed with McNamara’s costly mistake and Fulham remained comfortable until a quarter of an hour from time. Allen saved well in quick succession to keep out long range efforts from Shea Charles and Mahamadou Susoho. The young Whites controlled proceedings with great composure and a lovely move extended their advantage as Harris ghosted into space in the area to glance Lanquedoc’s inviting delivery beyond McNamara. The hosts might have made it three when Delano McCoy-Splatt produced some fancy footwork to create space in the box but the City goalkeeper eventually smothered his shot.
Susoho did strike the woodwork with a late strike but Fulham came through seven minutes of added time to move into the last four after a hugely impressive display.
FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Allen; Tanton (Benjamin 68), Parkes, Araujo, C. Robinson; Okkas, McCoy-Splatt (M. Parker 88); Olakigbe, Works (Gordon 63), Harris; Lanquedoc. Subs (not used): Borto, de Fougerolles.
BOOKED: Tanton.
GOALS: Harris (56, 81).
MANCHESTER CITY UNDER 18s (4-3-3): McNamara; Charles, Galvez (Smith 85), Alleyne (Barrington 87), Katongo; Susoho, Breckin, Hamilton (O’Reilly 45); Mebude, Borges, Dickson. Subs (not used): Adam, Murray-Jones.
BOOKED: Susoho, Borges, Charles.
REFEREE: L. Sandoe.
