FA Youth Cup semi-final report – Manchester City U18s 4 West Brom U18s 2
Their historical run may have come to an end, but Albion's under-18s can be proud of their efforts in tonight's FA Youth Cup semi-final.
Manchester City's global team had players from Spain, Holland and Senegal, to name just a few, while the majority of Albion's players come from within a 10-mile radius of The Hawthorns.
City's captain was from Barcelona's famous La Masia academy. Albion's skipper is from West Bromwich and has a season ticket in the Smethwick End.
So to push this City team close in the club's first Youth Cup semi in 41 years, in front of Pep Guardiola no less, is no mean feat.
City may have dominated possession, and had the lion's share of the chances at their 7,000-capacity academy stadium, but the Baggies defended resolutely.
Conceding early goals in each half cost them, and even though Rayhaan Tulloch's goal four minutes from time made the tie interesting, City's quality told eventually.
It took just nine minutes for the hosts to take the lead, and it was the lively Adria Bernabe, a former Barcelona youth player, who created it
When he fizzed a low ball across goal, Ben Knight reacted quickest, guiding it past Josh Griffiths.
City were on top in those early stages, and looked threatening down the left hand side through the Spaniard Bernabe and the Dutchman, Jeremie Frimpong.
Slowly though, Albion grew into the game. Twenty minutes in Morgan Rogers flashed a cross into Louie Moulden's gloves after nice hold-up play from Soule.
By the half-hour mark, they were beginning to pose some questions and then four minutes later Soule drew them level with a glorious goal.
After the Baggies worked the ball up the right wing, Soule tried to find Rogers in the box, but when the ball bounced back to him, he whipped it inside the far post with his left foot.
And Albion nearly took the lead five minutes before the break when City defender Taylor Harwood-Bells gave the ball straight to Rogers.
The 16-year-old rounded one defender, but Harwood-Bells atoned for his error, and cleared the shot off the line.
Just before the break, Griffiths pulled off a flying save to deny Felix Nmecha from range.
Albion brought on Stanley Asomugha for Zak Brown at half-time, but just like the first half, City started strongly.
Tommy Doyle restored their lead in the 53rd minute, lashing in a long-range effort that appeared to wrong-foot Griffiths.
City were beginning to purr, and shortly after Nmecha cracked the bar after a lovely dummy let the ball run to Bernabe.
Knight looked to have finished the tie in the 73rd minute, glancing in his second goal of the game with a near-post header from a corner.
But with four minutes to go a mistake from Doyle allowed Soule to pounce and square to Rayhaan Tulloch to make it 3-2.
The possibility of a comeback was short-lived though, because two minutes later Nmecha chested down a cross and scored City's fourth.
It was a valiant effort from Albion's youngsters, and a cup run that will live long in the memory.
A far more important viewer than Guardiola was Baggies chief executive Mark Jenkins.
It may not have been their night, but Albion's academy is flourishing, and there's every chance several of Mike Scott's young Baggies could grace the first team in years to come.
KEY MOMENTS
09 GOAL CITY - Knight converts Bernabe's low cross.
34 GOAL ALBION - Soule curls a left-footed shot inside the far post.
41 Rogers has a shot cleared off the line by Harwood-Bells.
43 Griffiths pulls of a full-length save to deny Touaizi.
53 GOAL CITY - Doyle lashes a long-range effort in.
59 Nmecha cracks the bar for City.
73 GOAL CITY - Knight flicks in a front-post header from a corner.
86 GOAL ALBION - Tulloch capitalises on a mix-up in the City defence.
88 GOAL CITY - Nmecha chests the ball down and puts the tie to bed.
TEAMS
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Moulden, Dionkou, Garcia (c), Harwood-Bells, Frimpong, McDonald (Dele-Bashiru 72), Knight (Ogunby 85), Doyle, Touaizi, Nmecha, Bernabe (Ogbeta 89).
Unused subs: Basunu, Richards.
Albion (4-4-2): Griffiths; White (Taylor 83), Ferguson, Martinez, Harmon (c); Rogers, Solanke, Brown (Asomugha 45), Tulloch; Azaz, Soule (Barry 89).
Unused subs: Cann, Gardner-Hickman.
Referee: Thomas Bramall
