FA Youth Cup 5th Round
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester United
Venue: White Hart Lane
Date: Monday, 9 February 2015
Kick-off: 19:00 GMT
Manchester United exited the FA Youth Cup with a 3-1 defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur.
A fair scoreline at White Hart Lane, as Paul McGuinness’ side failed to reach the quarter-finals of the competition, despite a Marcus Rashford free-kick levelling things up, to go in at the break on even terms.
A first loss since early November and it came in a game that meant so much to these young lads, with their impressive run of form ending in a difficult venue against a good side.
It was an energetic first half, but it took a quarter of an hour before the first chance.
Ismail Azzaoui’s shot was deflected behind for a corner, but nothing came of it.
But something did come of their next corner, five minutes later.
Azzaoui took it, Anton Walkes flicked it on, and Anthony Georgiou finished it off.
United were soon back on level terms, however, with Rashford’s free-kick beating Harry Voss at his near post (Vine).
Callum Gribbin slotted a through ball through to Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, and the left-back’s cross into a dangerous area was cleared, before Shayon Harrison’s run at the other end led to his left foot shot being held by Dean Henderson.
Tyler Reid found Zak Dearnley on the right, and the latter ran at the Spurs defence before playing the ball inside to Gribbin, who got the ball onto his favoured left foot, before curling a shot wide of the post.
Dearnley saw a cross held by Voss, as the two teams went in at half-time all square.
After the break, Rashford had a shot deflected wide before Spurs took the lead once more, just after the hour mark, but only after United had a goal ruled out for offside.
It was Borthwick-Jackson who found the back of the net, but his one-two with Rashford saw the latter offside, before a Spurs break led to the goal, which ended with captain Joshua Onomah playing in Azzaoui, who dinked the ball over the onrushing Henderson.
Onomah’s corner five minutes later saw Henderson fail to catch the ball under Christian Maghoma’s challenge, but Cameron Carter-Vickers headed over the bar.
Reid had a surging run forward, but his shot was saved, and two minutes later, the game was put to bed.
Kyle Walker-Peters played a harmless ball down the right hand touch line, but Georgiou beat Borthwick-Jackson and the offside trap, to run free into the penalty area, and finish in style.
Walker-Peters had a shot held, as United had no answer to what was becoming a rampant Spurs attack.
Substitute Kaziah Sterling saw a shot wide and then held a minute later, as United failed to get out of their own half.
A rare attack for the visitors saw a corner won, but Devonte Redmond’s volley from the resulting kick was held with ease by Voss.
Sterling was at it again, but his shot was deflected just wide.
Just two minutes of stoppage time was added, as the match came to an end.
Nottingham Forest will now face Spurs in the next round, whilst United have the league to concentrate on.
A disappointing performance on the whole, as the occasion and atmosphere would have been something that this group of players would not have experienced before, but they will learn from this experience and come back stronger, there is no doubt about that.
Line-ups:
Manchester United: Henderson; Reid, Tuanzebe, Williams, Borthwick-Jackson; Fosu-Mensah, Redmond; Riley, Gribbin, Dearnley (Mitchell 72); Rashford.
Subs: Thompson, Dorrington, Mitchell, Croskery, Scott.
Manager: Paul McGuinness
Tottenham Hotspur: Voss; Walker-Peters, Maghoma, Carter-Vickers, Walkes; Amos, Stylianides (Owens 83); Georgiou (Edwards 74), Onomah, Azzaoui; Harrison (Sterling 79).
Subs: Owens, Glover, Edwards, Sterling, Loft.
Manager: Kieran McKenna
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