In a thrilling encounter at Leigh Sports Village, Manchester United U21s got the better of West Ham United U21s with a decisive late free kick, sealing a narrow 1-0 victory in this Premier League clash. League 2 Friday evening. The match, which finished under the lights, saw the young Red Devils take advantage of a late defensive error from the Hammers, who have now tasted the disappointment of an injury-time defeat for the second time in a row at the ‘outside.
The decisive moment came in the middle of the interval when Ethan Ennis magnificently curled a free kick into the back of the net after a conceded foul on the edge of the area. Although they were beaten by the scoreline, West Ham’s performance was commendable, showing determination and creating several chances that left them feeling aggrieved by the result.
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Both teams started the match cautiously, with West Ham going close to scoring early on when Luizão and goalkeeper Fin Herrick made an error, leaving an opening for Dan Gore, but Junior Robinson’s quick intervention averted disaster. As the match progressed, the Hammers found their feet, causing fouls in promising areas which allowed Lewis Orford to test the opposition defense with his clever runs.
In a tightly contested first half, Tyron Akpata had the visitors’ best opportunity in the 22nd minute, but his volley following a poorly cleared corner went just wide. Moments later, Akpata had another good chance but chose to shoot instead of passing to a free Orford, allowing United goalkeeper Dermot Mee to make another save.
While West Ham looked for openings, Manchester United also had clear chances. A potential opener was ruled out for offside when Ethan Wheatley’s close-range header from a corner was invalidated midway through the first half. As the first half progressed, interruptions of play due to fouls prevented both teams from gaining momentum, leaving them tied at the break.
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The second half saw Manchester United start brightly, with Malachi Sharpe having a good opportunity which was blocked, but West Ham quickly responded. Kamarai Swyer and Adiele combined well on the left, with Orford hitting the post in the 70th minute, his volley hitting the inside of the upright and bouncing wide, a moment that could have turned the tide for the Hammers.
As the final minutes approached, United began to pile on more pressure. Substitute Jack Moorhouse posed a threat to the West Ham defence, forcing their defenders into late interventions. In the 85th minute it looked like West Ham were about to take the lead, but Brad Dolaghan’s attempt missed the target by inches after being served by Robinson.
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With five minutes of added time signaled by the referee, both teams pushed hard for a winning goal. It was Manchester United who delivered the decisive blow, with Ennis’ stunning free-kick sending the home fans roaring. West Ham looked to have equalized in spectacular fashion moments later, but Sean Tarima’s effort was ruled out for a foul on the keeper, leading to complaints from the visitors.
The defeat spells yet another lesson for the young Hammers, who will no doubt look to remedy their finishing woes as they prepare to face Lyon in the Premier League International Cup on Tuesday night at Rush Green Stadium. This upcoming match represents a perfect opportunity for the West Ham U21s to bounce back and show their resilience.
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West Ham United U21 : Herrick, Tarima, Luizão, Mayers (Battrum HT), Robinson, Orford ©, Akpata, Adiele, Ajala (Dolaghan 80)
Unused substitutes: Awesu (GK), Rigge, Fawunmi
Cartons : Tarima, Akpata, Orford
Manchester United U21 : Mee, Kamason, Jackson ©, Kingdon, Murray (Devaney HT), Amass (Missin 64), Sharpe (Biancheri 80), Rowe, Gore (Moorhouse HT), Ennis, Wheatley
Unused substitutes: Myles (GK)
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