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U21s match summary: Huddersfield Town v United
Tuesday 12 November 2024 22:46
Manchester United Under-21s’ EFL Trophy campaign concluded with a 4-1 defeat to Huddersfield Town’s first team on Tuesday evening.
The young Reds were put to the test by our senior hosts inside the first minute, with United goalkeeper Dermot Mee getting down to his left to keep out Mickel Miller’s driven strike along the turf, before Rhys Healey put his rebound wide of the posts and into the side-netting.
Mee was again called into action soon after to keep out a goalbound attempt from Herbie Kane, following a short-corner routine, but despite Huddersfield’s opportunities, Travis Binnion’s young team were holding our own at 0-0. First-team full-back Tyrell Malacia, featuring in his first competitive game following a long-term injury, was the architect of an attack that needed a defensive intervention to stop Ethan Ennis teeing up Victor Musa for a tap-in.
Amidst spells of encouraging play, the home side took the lead in the 29th minute when Ben Wiles received Ollie Turton’s pass infield from the right flank and arrowed a powerful left-footed strike into the far side of the goal.
United were not despondent however – even after promising young midfielder Sekou Kone left the field with an injury – and got level brilliantly just before half-time. Habeeb Ogunneye won the ball by the right touchline and slipped in Ennis, who squared for Musa to flick home with an impressive backheel.
The hosts, needing to win in 90 minutes to leapfrog United and qualify for the next round of the competition, upped the ante in the second half and put our young Reds under sustained periods of pressure.
In spite of that, Binnion’s young Reds battled, but our rearguard was breached on 66 minutes, as Huddersfield made it 2-1. Wiles, scorer of the first, crossed from the right and Healey got to the front post to power a close-range header into the goal.
A late winner at Barnsley and a stoppage-time equaliser at Doncaster Rovers in our previous two outings of the EFL Trophy campaign kept hope of more dramatic celebrations alive in the closing stages for our players, but it was the League One outfit who got the contest’s final two goals. David Kasumu blasted home from inside the 18-yard area in the 90th minute, before Tom Lees headed in a corner during stoppage time.
The result was enough for the hosts to qualify ahead of us from Group F of the northern section, alongside table-toppers Doncaster, meaning our EFL Trophy campaign comes to a close after three matches in a tournament that has again provided invaluable experience for our young players against Football League opposition.
MATCH DETAILS
United XI: Mee; Ogunneye (Moorhouse 76), Kingdon, Fredricson (c), Malacia (Amass 46); Kone (McAllister 41), Fitzgerald (Mather 76), Rowe; Ennis, Musa, Williams (Missin 65).
Unused subs: Graczyk (GK), Jackson.
Goals: Wiles 29, Healey 66, Kasumu 90, Lees 90+7 | Musa 43.
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Tuesday 12 November 2024 22:46
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