Leeds United 2 Manchester City 5: City too strong for United youth

United’s Under-18s succumbed to two goals in the first half and three in the second at Elland Road, beaten in the fourth round by City’s finesse in the final third.

The visitors were ahead after 18 minutes, despite a tight and even start to the tie.

Aaron Nemane made space for himself on the left channel and cut the ball into the six-yard box, picking out the run of Lukas Nmecha who bundled it into the net.

Within seconds of the restart, Leeds broke forward and rattled City’s crossbar through a fine curling effort from Ronaldo Vieira. Tom Pearce had earlier gone close with a looping shot which dropped just over goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw’s net.

The visitors, however, struck again eight minutes before half-time with a simpler, more direct effort.

A hanging corner was met by defender Tosin Adarabioyo who headed it beyond the reach of Theo Richardson. Rodney Kongolo killed the contest on 55 minutes and Nmecha scored his second of the night four minutes later following a defensive error.

Kongolo’s deflected finish increased the scoreline to 5-0 on 70 mins but Leeds pulled a goal back immediately when Erik Sarmiento turned Mallik Wilks’ cross into his own net.

Lewis Knight reduced the deficit further with an 88th-minute penalty after Adarabioyo hacked down substitute Clark Oduor.

Leeds United: Richardson, Croft, Taylor, Turnbull, Downing, Shackleton, Rollinson (Nicell, 65), Vieira, Pearce, Bell (Knight 51), Wilks (Oduor, 82).

Manchester City: Grimshaw, Duhaney, Oliver, Adarabioyo, Sarmiento, Davenport, Kongolo (Wood 75), Patching, Dilrosun, Nmecha (Abdelkader Diaz 60), Nemane (Buckley-Ricketts 60).