Academy Match Report: Sunderland U18s 2-1 Manchester United U18s

Academy Match Report: Sunderland U18s 2-1 Manchester United U18s Manchester United Under-18s travelled to Sunderland on Saturday afternoon for a league encounter. It was a heavily rotated selection from Darren Fletcher, with only two starters from Wednesday’s Premier League Cup final remaining in the side. In the midst of a title charge, United had to do without a number of key players on the day, including JJ Gabriel , who missed out in order to train with the first team.

First half The young Red Devils got off to a bad start as a mistake from keeper Fred Heath saw the ball turned over to Caleb Shakespeare, who quickly fired into the goal. United responded nearly immediately, levelling the score back in just the eighth minute. Jay McEvoy’s corner delivery found the head of Louie Bradbury , who headed in from close range at the front post.

Sunderland restored their lead five minutes later after another error from United, as Douka Nkoto’s raised hand inadvertently caught the face of Jay Matadeen and conceded a penalty. Matadeen slotted into the right corner from the spot to make it 2-1 to the home side at Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground. Later in the half, Heath produced a big save to keep the deficit at one after Sunderland broke free down the right wing.

In stoppage time, Bradbury tried to catch Sunderland’s keeper Joe Cowan out of his goal with an audacious half-volley from near the halfway line, but the Welsh striker’s effort went wide of the goal. Second half In the second half, Sunderland continued to look the more likely to score when they hit the post after Heath failed to claim the high ball from a corner delivery. United did well to maintain control in the second half but struggled to create any clear-cut chances, with a wide-angle effort from Jariyah Shah that was parried away from danger the pick of the bunch.