Wolves 0 Manchester City 3 (Mukasa 56, 61, Gorman 85)
Wolves under-18s suffered a home defeat to U18 Premier League leaders Manchester City, with all three goals coming in the second half after an even first 45 minutes.
The home side started off the better side in the first 15 minutes with the best of the Old Gold’s chances coming from Conor McLeod after he won the ball deep in City’s half and worked enough space to fire a shot on target that was smartly saved low to Oliver Whatmuff’s right.
However, McLeod’s day then came to a premature end due to an injury sustained around the 20-minute mark, but it didn’t stop Wolves from pushing on and slowing down their momentum.
Forward Mateus Mane created the hosts’ final good chance of the first half as he picked up the ball just outside the penalty area and carried the ball surrounded by defenders before laying the ball off to Jake Wilcox, whose first time shot was saved comfortably by Whatmuff.
City would then become the more dominant of the two sides heading into half-time, creating two chances that could’ve put them ahead before the end of the first period of play.
A deflected shot from Divine Mukasa from a throw-in gently found itself into George Hardy’s hands before full-back Charlie Courtman’s half volley faded just wide of the top left corner but that was as close as the visitors got in the first half.
Half-time | Wolves 0-0 Manchester City
The visitors broke the deadlock early in the second half after winning a penalty 10 minutes into the half with Mukasa slotting the ball into the corner to give the league leaders the advantage at Compton.
Mukasa doubled City’s lead quickly after the penalty as he picked the ball up near the halfway line and dribbled past a couple Old Gold defenders before rounding Hardy in goal and calmly putting the ball into an open goal.
Both sides had chances to get a goal, but none were very clear-cut until City scored their third just before the final whistle through substitute Finlay Gorman with an effort very similar to Mukasa’s second goal, going past an on-rushing Hardy to put the game even further out Wolves’ reach.
Full-time | Wolves 0-3 Manchester City
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LINEUPS
Wolves | Hardy, Ford, White, Dayman, Lochhead, Elendu (Saba 67), McLeod (Bowen 20), Osifo (Ballard-Matthews 67), Marwa (Stafford 67), Mane, Wilcox.
Unused sub | Grieves.
Manchester City | Whatmuff, Noble, Courtman (Tevenan 87), Parker, Braithwaite, Dunbar-McDonald (Gorman 77), Mukasa, Fapetu, Samba (McAidoo 77), Heskey, Warhurst (Fletcher 82).
Unused sub | Hudson.
Report by Rivaan Athwal
