Blues seal derby win with Ambrose brace
FA U18 Premier League
1st February 2014
City: O’Brien, Maffeo, Tasende, Bossaerts, Smith Brown, Byrne, Intima (Celina), Ntcham (Boadu)(Holland), Ambrose, Bryan, Barker
Unused: Albinson (GK), Oseni
Goals: Ambrose (2)
City arrived at Manchester United AON Carrington training complex with the prospect of playing in similar conditions to the previous week’s game against Sunderland but although the strong winds were prevalent across the open training pitches fortunately the forecasted rain never arrived. However a goal at either end of the match from Thierry Ambrose ensured all three points travelled to City’s Carrington training ground just east of United’s.
City had the advantage of playing with the wind in the first half but when it is that strong it can be just as difficult to weight passes. However mindful of the difficulty in the wind will have been a real contributing factor for City taking the lead in the tenth minute when a Sean Goss backpass to Dean Henderson in United’s goal was kicked straight to Ambrose with Henderson being mindful of not kicking the ball up in the air and gaining no distance at all. Ambrose controlled the ball well and kept his shot down as he powered it into the goal past Henderson.
City dominated possession throughout the first half but didn’t really find a way to get beyond the United defence and force Henderson into saving action with City firing wide or United getting good blocks in. City would have been mindful of the fact that in the second half playing with such a slender lead and against such a strong wind would add to the pressure they would be put under.
However City kept their passes short and made sure that United were not given possession in dangerous areas mainly. They did however gain a free kick right on the line of the area and Joe Riley curled a shot that Billy O’Brien did well to push the ball wide but although Nicholas Ioannou was quick to react his selfish shot was only driven in to the side netting.
Sean Goss was then involved in another significant part of the match as he dived in late on substitute Denzeil Boadu and the game was stopped for fairly length period as the stretcher was brought on for Boadu. Goss was rightly booked for the challenge and might have received a red card at a higher age & level of football.
City nearly allowed their lead to be drawn level when substitute Ruairi Croskery was able to get the ball inside the area but his shot that was heading for the corner of the goal but the alert Angelino Tasende stuck out a strong leg and diverted the ball away to Pablo Maffeo and on to safety.
As the game went into stoppage time Maffeo did really well to take the ball off United and beat two players on the right before finding substitute Celina who curled a nice ball over the top for Ambrose to hold off his closely marking defender and find a neat touch to push the ball past Henderson with the outside of his boot.
Next up for City is a midweek game away to Wolves for the chance to continue such an amazing run of consecutive victories.