Chelsea remain on course for a fourth FA Youth Cup Final in five years after a narrow 2-1 Semi-Final first leg victory over Arsenal.
On a perfect spring evening at Stamford Bridge three goals in the space of ten second-half minutes proved decisive as Chuba Akpom’s opener was quickly cancelled out by strikes from Charlie Colkett and Alex Kiwomya.
The result gives the Blues a slender advantage going into the second leg at the Emirates next week.
Chelsea began the game the brighter of the two – the pace of Jordan Houghton, Isaiah Brown and Colkett caused the Arsenal defence problems in the early stages.
Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal
FA Youth Cup
Semi-Final First Leg
Thursday 10 April
Stamford Bridge
Second Leg - 17 April
At 6ft 4in England U19 international Ruben Loftus Cheek, captaining the side, cut a powerful and imposing figure in the centre of the park. Meanwhile another star performer through the season, Alex Kiwomya, provided a dangerous outlet wide on the right.
For Arsenal, Akpom was back in the line-up after winter loan spells at League One outfits Brentford and Coventry and he looked lively throughout, leading the line for the Gunners.
Around 1,000 visiting fans had made the short trip across the capital and filled the lower corner of the Shed End.
They were cheering on their stars of tomorrow between multiple verses of “We’re going to Wembley” in support of their senior side who travel to the National Stadium on Saturday for their own Cup Semi-Final.
The Chelsea faithful had also come out in their numbers – and filled large sections of the giant East Stand behind the dugouts.
They almost had something to cheer as Chelsea’s first and best chance of the half came on 23 minutes. But for a spectacular double save from Joshua Vickers in the Arsenal, they would have been ahead.
The 18-year-old first prevented a powerful Houghton shot with a spectacular diving stop, before jumping to his feet to keep Kiwomya’s rebounded effort out.
Meanwhile, at the other end Mitchell Beeney kept his England U19 teammate Akpom at bay – showing strong hands as palmed away the striker’s drilled right-foot effort. The game was developing into an entertaining, end-to-end affair – all it needed was a goal.
Nothing came before the break, though, and as the second half got under way it was Chelsea who once again looked sharper out of the blocks.
However, despite the early pressure it was Arsenal who eventually broke the deadlock – albeit somewhat against the run of play.
Isaiah Brown competes for possession
With Chelsea committed, Maitland-Niles picked up the ball in the middle of the park and played a delightful low pass into the path of Akpom. The young striker dropped his shoulder, beat right-back Ola Aina and fired a unstoppable shot past Beeney at the near post.
It seemed to be just the spark Adi Viveash’s side needed, though, as ten minutes later not only were they level, but ahead.
Almost immediately from kick-off Loftus Cheek drove at the Arsenal defence. As he approached the box the crowd urged the midfielder to shoot but he was denied by a last-ditch Arsenal tackle.
However, the visitors could not pick up the loose ball and it came back to Loftus Cheek who flicked it perfectly into the path of Colkett. The frontman rifled home past a helpless Vickers to make it 1-1 and it was game on.
Now buoyed Chelsea knew they had their guests on the ropes. Loftus Cheek was again at the heart of the action as he broke wide on the right and whipped in a fine cross onto the head of Dominic Solanke.
His effort was well saved, but the rebound fell into the path of the dangerous Kiwomya – who acrobatically connected and fired Chelsea into the lead.
Chelsea may have increased their advantage as the game entered its final stages. Colkett was again kept out by the fantastic Vickers – and Houghton drilled a low effort inches wide.
Arsenal had Vickers to thank once more, as seconds later as the young stopper saved spectacularly again – this time from Fankaty Dabo’s powerful effort.
But they managed to keep the deficit at one and will feel there is still all to play for when the pair meet again at the Emirates on the 17 April.
Chelsea
1 Mitchell Beeney, 2 Ola Aina, 3 Andreas Christensen, 4 Jake Clarke Salter (12 Isak Ssewankambo, 75) 5 Fankaty Dabo (14 Kasey Palmer, 87) 6 Jordan Houghton, 7 Alex Kiwomya, 8 Ruben Loftus Cheek, 9 Dominic Solanke, 10 Charlie Colkett, 11 Isaiah Brown (15 Jay Dasilva, 69)
Substitutes not used
13 Bradley Collins, 16 Charly Musonda
Coach: Adi Viveash
Goals: Colkett (58) Kiwomya (65)
Bookings: Loftus Cheek, Clarke Salter
Arsenal
1 Joshua Vickers, 2 Tafari Moore, 3 Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill, 4 Glen Kamara, 5 Leander Siemann, 6 Julio Pleguezuelo, 7 Ainsley Maitland-Niles, 8 Gedion Zelalem (12 Jack Jebb, 65) 9 Chuba Akpom, 10 Daniel Crowley, 11 Alexander Iwobi
Substitutes not used
13 Ryan Huddart, 14 Stefan O’Connor, 15 Austin Lipman, 16 George Dobson.
Coach: Carl Laraman
Goals: Akpom (55)
Bookings: Kamara
Referee: Tim Robinson
Attendance: 4,961
