City’s title charge continues as U18s edge out Blackburn

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Manchester City F.C.

·29 de março de 2025

City’s title charge continues as U18s edge out Blackburn

City made it 17 Under-18 Premier League North wins in a row and extended our lead at the top with a hard fought 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers.

Divine Mukasa fired City ahead inside the opening five minutes with a forceful left-footed finish to get our young boys in blue off to the perfect start.

Vídeos OneFootball

Blackburn's Valentin Joseph had the ball in the back of the Blues' net with a headed effort midway through the second half but the equaliser was overturned after a foul on City shot-stopper Max Hudson.

With the game on a knife-edge, it was City who delivered the final blow late on.

After Mukasa's initial shot was denied, substitute Matty Wahurst tapped home the loose ball to help maintain City's winning run in 2025 and move five points clear of second-placed Manchester United.

WHAT HAPPENED

Following the March international break, City were back among the goals in no time at all as we continue our race for the Under-18 Premier League North title.

In form Mukasa needed just three minutes to give Oliver Reiss’s side the advantage, firing a powerful left-footed effort through the arms of Blackburn keeper Blake Wolsoncroft.

City continued to create chances after the restart with the hosts on the back foot thanks to our intensity and pace in the opening exchanges.

Ryan McAidoo and Finlay Gorman tried to double our advantage as they carved out chances of their own, but nothing came to fruition as Blackburn threw bodies into the box to defend City’s chances.

Reigan Heskey, who'd teed up Mukasa 20 minutes earlier, then went on a sublime solo run, dancing around three Blackburn players before firing a right-footed effort just wide of the far post in what was City’s best chance after taking the lead.

At the other end of the pitch, Femi Fapetu and City’s defenders did well to keep Blackburn at bay, denying the hosts from registering a shot on target in what was a tame opening 45 minutes.

Following a cagey start to the second half, which saw Blackburn press high in search of an early equaliser and change their approach to the game, City weathered the Rovers storm and then looked to turn the tide in momentum.

A quick counter on the hour mark saw McAidoo and Mukasa link up well on the right before the latter placed a floated cross towards the back post. Warhurst nodded the ball goal-bound from inside the six-yard box but a fantastic save by Wolsoncroft denied City a second.

Around 13 minutes later Joseph, with Blackburn’s first chance on target, thought he’d drawn his team level when he headed home at the far post but referee Arran Williams blew for a foul on Hudson, who was blocked as he came to claim the ball.

More end-to-end football saw both teams create half chances, but neither 'keeper was particularly tested as the clock ticked on.

It was proving a much closer affair than City's 6-0 triumph over Blackburn in the reverse fixture, with our young blues having to dig deep to keep our lead.

But a final attack for Reiss's side allowed the team to breathe a sigh of relief as we doubled our advantage in added time.

Mukasa’s effort from distance was spilled by Wolsoncroft and Warhurst was the quickest to react to the loose ball.

The City striker tapped home at the back post to confirm our 17th-successive win in the league, moving us five points clear of title contenders Manchester United, who have one game in hand.

HOW WE LINED UP

On his return from international duty after representing Wales at youth level, Max Hudson was tasked with keeping Blackburn out of City’s goal.

In front of him, a defensive four of Charlie Courtman, Kian Noble, Leke Drake – on his return from injury – and captain Kaden Braithwaite looked solid on the road.

City’s engine room was comprised of Femi Fapetu, Finlay Gorman and Divine Mukasa and looked to link-up with our attacking line of Ryan McAidoo, Luca Fletcher and Reigan Heskey.

BLACKBURN XI | Wolsowcroft, McIlroy, Leeming, Kelley-Quinn, Decandia, Ball, Clanford (Lister 83’), Mawsbridge, Joseph, Shaw, McCoy (Ramwell 83’)

UNUSED SUBS | Holt, Higgins, Cryer.

CITY XI | Hudson, Courtman, Noble, Dake, Braithwaite, Fapetu, McAidoo, Gorman (F. Samba 68’), Fletcher (Warhurst 46’), Mukasa, R. Heskey (Dunbar-McDonald 68’)

UNUSED SUBS | Doran, Tevenan.