Divin Mubama bundled in a 96th minute equaliser as Manchester City denied Fulham’s under 21s first place in the regular season PL2 table after a dramatic 1-1 draw at Motspur Park this evening.
The home side went in front with their first shot on target in the last minute of normal time when Callum Osmand headed in Chris Donnell’s cross. But Mubuma was on hand to scramble in a scrappy leveller deep into added time after Hayden Mullins’ side had spurned several chances to clear their lines as City’s elite development squad got their reward for refusing to give up.
A cagey opening to the game saw both defences on top before Charlie Gray ballooned a free-kick well over the bar in the 20th minute. The midfielder forced a smart save from Michael Allen a little later after Fulham had stood off him outside the box before the Northern Irish goalkeeper saw his fingertips stung by a daisycutter from Mubama.
Martial Godo then embarked a trademark solo sprint down the flank but he shot over the bar having cut in from the wing as he did so effortlessly in last season’s loan spell at Wigan Athletic. Terrell Works then did brilliantly to get to the byline but it appeared as though nobody had confidence in the winger cutting the ball back as a devilish cross was missed by attackers and defenders alike.
City came stronger at the start of the second period and Fulham were indebted to the alertness of Sam Amissah for keeping them level. The young centre back read the danger superbly as Lakyle Samuel pulled the trigger following fine interplay between Stephen Mfuni and Christian McFarlane and blocked the shot.
McFarlane hammered a shot against the far post after finding far too much room down the left and Fulham substitute Donnell almost won the game with his very first touch – with the midfielder’s perfectly placed effort superbly blocked by City captain Jahmai Simpson-Pusey. The young Whites were emboldened enough to pen City back for five minutes and it was Donnell who floated a fine ball towards the near post where Osmand headed home with aplomb.
But Fulham’s joy was dashed in the sixth minute of injury-time when Mubuma conjured up the latest of equalisers.
FULHAM UNDER 21s: Allen; Tanton, Nsasi, Amissah, Esenga; King (McCoy-Splatt 79), Dibley-Dias; Ridgeon (Donnell 79), Works (Gordon 64), Godo (De Fougerolles 90+1); Osmand. Subs (not used): Underwood.
GOAL: Osmand (90).
MANCHESTER CITY ELITE DEVELOPMENT SQUAD: Brits, Samuel, Alleyne, Simpson-Pusey, Mfuni (Naylor 90+2), Gray, Henderson-Hall (McAidoo 68) , J. Heskey, Mubama, Okeke (Oboavwoduo 75), McFarlane (Muir 90+2).
GOAL: Mubuma (90+6).
