City U18s down 10-man Toffees in dominating first league win

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Manchester City F.C.

·1 de septiembre de 2024

City U18s down 10-man Toffees in dominating first league win

City's Under-18s picked up our first league win of the 2024/25 season with a convincing 4-0 win at Everton on Saturday.

Goals from Matty Warhurst and Divine Mukasa in the space of four first-half minutes put us on course for three points.

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And when Melvin Matos was shown a second yellow card after two late fouls in the second half, 10-man Everton were unable to claw their way back into the match.

Reigan Heskey added a third before Warhurst wrapped up the victory with his fourth in two games in all competitions to top off a superb performance by Oliver Reiss's young side to earn our first league win of the new campaign.

WHAT HAPPENED

With both league encounters against Everton last season ending in draws, a close affair could be anticipated but City were in a ruthless mood on Merseyside.

A frenetic opening 10 minutes saw both teams put their all in to tackles, fighting for possession and high presses but City began to take control.

After a lengthy spell of possession, a clever cut-back by Heskey on the left flank, gave him space to unleash a stinging right-foot shot on 19 minutes but he was denied by the right post .

Brilliant work ethic by Floyd Samba in the centre of the pitch frustrated Everton as City were awarded fouls all over the pitch with the hosts trying to disrupt our momentum.

A resulting corner from a free-kick saw the ball placed beautifully towards the back post. And waiting in line was Warhurst who thumped the ball into the back of the net to put City ahead on 23 minutes.

A second soon followed when Mukasa dispatched a clinical penalty to double City’s lead after Heskey was fouled in a well-worked attack.

City looked confident with fluid and impressive football on show for the travelling contingent.

Samba was denied in the 34th minute with a thumping free-kick on the left, which was goal bound and Douglass Lukjanciks did well to keep it out on the stretch.

Everton tried to find a way back into the game before the break but a fantastic diving block by Leke Drake denied Ceiran Loney in their best chance of the half.

The Toffees were able to carve out their one and only opportunity of the second half despite City looking the stronger side when the second half began.

Braiden Graham’s deflected shot on 55 minutes was denied by a fantastic reactionary save by Oliver Whatmuff who kept City’s two-goal lead intact.

Six minutes later Everton were reduced to 10 after a second bookable offence by Matos saw him sent to the changing room.

City continued to dominate in the final third and with quick, attacking play it seemed inevitable that more goals were on the horizon.

Heskey, full of confidence after an impressive performance, fired a low right-footed effort into the near post from 12 yards to catch Lukjanciks off guard and make it three on 78 minutes.

Two minutes after the restart, City broke down the left flank again. This time a cut-back by Mukasa saw his pass fired across the six-yard box and into the path of Warhurst for his second of the match.

HOW WE LINED UP

Whatmuff was named City’s number one with a defensive line of Dante Headley, Drake, Kaden Braithwaite and Oliver Tevenan just in front of the goal keeper.

In the heart of City’s midfield, skipper Rhys Thomas was joined by Mukasa and Samba and tasked with orchestrating our attacks.

Warhurst, who went into the game in fine form following a brace against Norwich City, had Heskey and Ryan McAidoo either side of him.

EVERTON XI: Lukjanciks, Lambert, van Schoor, Finney, Thomas, Foster, Wren, Matos, Loney (Daivs 69’), Graham (Olayiwola 69’), Catesby.

SUBS: Seve, Akarakiri, Stewart.

CITY XI: Whatmuff, Headley (Fapetu 78’), Drake, Braithwaite, Tevenan, Thomas, McAidoo (Dunbar-McDonald 56’), Samba (Gorman 66’), Warhurst, Mukasa, Heskey (Fletcher 78’).

SUBS: Hudson.