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Wednesday 27 August 2025 14:00
A flurry of early second-half goals gave Manchester United Under-18s a highly positive start to the latest Premier League Cup campaign, with a 4-0 group-stage win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Winners of the competition for the first time in 2024, United were defeated on penalties in the quarter-finals last season by eventual victors, West Ham.
Darren Fletcher’s young Reds had begun the league season in good form, defeating Everton 1-0 away before a 5-0 thrashing of Middlesbrough at Carrington last Saturday.
Back at home under rainy skies on Wednesday lunchtime, Fletcher’s boys went into the break leading after a dominant first half without many clear-cut chances, thanks to Godwill Kukonki’s powerful shot from a corner.
With Brighton keen to turn things around after half-time, United capitalised on spaces opening up and scored three goals in quick succession through captain Amir Ibragimov and then wingers Bendito Mantato and Samuel Lusale.
United still have Middlesbrough and Birmingham City to play in the group stages.
Kukonki opened the scoring at Carrington.
United dominated early proceedings in possession and territory and regularly sought to expose a high Brighton line through pacey wingers Mantato and Lusale.
The visitors, however, were well-organised and prevented many clear-cut chances. A Lusale pull-back was deflected over the crossbar, Kukonki’s header from a left-sided corner was saved, a James Overy pull-back was blocked and the same fate met one from Ibragimov. That was all in the opening 15 minutes.
Brighton struggled to find openings of their own, with a strong Overy tackle ending hopes of a fast counter-attack 35 minutes in. Five minutes on, Albert Mills couldn’t meet a well-delivered corner properly, with it dropping suddenly onto his shoulder and deflecting over the bar.
His centre-back partner Kukonki made the most of another opportunity shortly before the break, as Jim Thwaites’s left-sided delivery dropped into space on the edge of the six-yard box, where Godwill thrashed it home.
The Seagulls sought a response in the few seconds remaining of the first half, and came out inspired for the second, pressing high and snapping into tackles.
At first, it seemed their determination would reap rewards. Captain Tate Ferdinand headed fairly softly into Fred Heath’s hands from a free-kick just a minute in.
But United were organised and then counter-attacked at pace. The electric Lusale crossed from the left for Mantato, who showed great vision and composure to find the sprinting Ibragimov. He finished first-time across the face of goal, into the bottom left corner.
Ibragimov was the first of three second-half scorers.
A second followed quickly, with Ibragimov latching onto Mantato’s ball down the right wing before playing it back inside to his team-mate. The partnership worked again, with Mantato jinking inside and finishing left-footed.
Lusale joined the act a minute on, bursting past his marker on the left wing and finishing with his right.
United dictated tempo well from then on, led by skipper Ibragimov, who kept things ticking in midfield as several young substitutes were introduced, including Nkoto centrally, and Gabriel and Rooney in the forward line.
Nkoto struck the post with a fierce strike late on, and Lusale drew a save, but United couldn’t find further goals to add to an impressive performance.
The Reds celebrate Mantato getting our third goal, before Lusale netted the fourth.
MATCH DETAILS
United: Heath; Helafu, Mills, Kukonki, Overy (J. Watson 60); Thwaites, Ibragimov (c), McEvoy (Nkoto 70); Mantato (Gabriel 60), Ibrovic-Fletcher (Rooney 70), Lusale.
Unused subs: Z. Watson.
Goals: Kukonki 45, Ibragimov 51, Mantato 53, Lusale 54.
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Wednesday 27 August 2025 14:00
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