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Saturday 05 April 2025 13:27
Manchester United responded to FA Youth Cup semi-final heartbreak with a ruthless league victory over Leeds at Carrington on Saturday lunchtime.
Captain Victor Musa scored a first-half double hat-trick, with Jim Thwaites also netting three, in an utterly dominant display from Adam Lawrence’s young Reds.
Leeds offered greater resistance after the break and scored through Kenneth Mensah, although only after James Bailey had thumped one home to reach double digits. Dan Armer and Gabriel – an U14 on as a substitute – brought up United’s dozen late on, with the latter scoring twice.
Victory and three points keeps United in the U18 Premier League North title race. Lawrence’s side trail Manchester City by five points, but have a game in hand on the Blues, who defeated Wolves on Saturday.
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Three in 15 minutes!
U18s GOAL CLIP | United are five up already and this third goal was excellent – subscribe now to watch…
FIRST HALF
Seeking intensity after Monday’s cup setback, lead coach Lawrence was delighted with his side’s ferocious start. Amir Ibragimov earned a second-minute penalty when controlling a loose ball before his opponent, which provided skipper Musa with an immediate chance to open his account. Leeds shot-stopper Oliver Wood saved a tame effort from Musa, but that would be a rare error from the forward in an otherwise stellar half. He pounced on the rebound to give United an early lead.
Bright play from Lusale teed Ibragimov up for a shot soon after, which Wood saved. Midfielder Zach Baumann found space in the immediate aftermath and contributed a deceiving curler which came off the left post.
Musa’s second followed when Jayden Ngwashi played a fine throughball from centre-back. Musa used his body well to keep his man away from the ball, creating a gap to set it onto his left, with which he finished into the bottom right corner.
Jim Thwaites had a shot blocked before Musa completed the first of two hat-tricks. After his second was created by Ngwashi, fellow central defender Dan Armer helped with the third. His lovely crossfield ball was touched down excellent by Lusale before he drove down the right-wing and forced a save from Wood. Again, Musa was onto the rebound to finish.
His fourth was the best yet, cutting inside and curling one into the bottom left corner, while his fifth showed his surging confidence. Again, he retained possession while defenders threw legs at him, had his first attempt blocked but swung at the loose bouncing ball, striking it cleanly into the back of the net.
Musa shot over when cutting in again a minute later before a direct free-kick from Thwaites made it six before the half-hour mark. Leeds threatened for the first time with their own free-kick which United goalkeeper Cameron Byrne-Hughes saved with ease.
Good pressing and composure from Ibragimov then created two further goals in quick succession for Thwaites. On both occasions, Ibragimov unselfishly set up his team-mate who was in a slightly better position to finish.
Musa crowned off a fantastic opening 45 minutes with a ninth for United. Left-back Dante Plunkett’s blocked cross fell to the 18-year-old and he lashed another home to complete his double hat-trick.
Musa has six goals – United have nine! Video
Musa has six goals – United have nine!
U18s GOAL CLIP | Victor Musa makes it six for him and nine for United with the final kick of an incredible first half…
SECOND HALF
James Bailey’s thumping strike saw United reach double digits shortly after the break, but Leeds retained their heads and found one of their own when Kenneth Mensah robbed Baumann of the ball and finished past Byrne-Hughes.
From then, Leeds had stemmed the United flow. Gabriel, an U14 player, came on for hat-trick scorer Thwaites, with second-year scholars Jaydan Kamason, Jacob Devaney and Jack Fletcher soon also on.
Skipper and right-back Coban Bird cut inside to test Byrne-Hughes with a left-footed curler in a good spell for Leeds, but Armer helped Fletcher’s corner home to give United another goal.
Gabriel teed up Lusale for a right-footed strike which cannoned off the crossbar before Musa also struck the woodwork with an attempt a moment later.
United’s dozen came up with a tidy finish from Gabriel, who added another with his left in the dying moments.
MATCH DETAILS
United: Byrne-Hughes; Overy (Kamason 71), Armer, Ngwashi, Plunkett; Baumann (Devaney 71), Bailey, Ibragimov (J. Fletcher 71); Lusale, Musa, Thwaites (Gabriel 63)
Unused sub: Murdock.
Goals: Musa 2 pen, 7, 14, 17, 25, 45+2, Thwaites 30, 40, 41, Bailey 51, Armer 79 | Mensah 55.
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Saturday 05 April 2025 13:27
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