Manchester United u21s took on Rochdale at the Crown Oil Arena on Tuesday night in the National League Cup.
Having won their opening two fixtures in the competition, United went into the night top of the group and it didn’t take long for them to resume the same position in the match.
United controlled the opening proceedings but the home side were the first to threaten with a big chance. United academy product Aidan Barlow started the attack down the right wing, which ended with a cutback into the box for a close range effort that was denied superbly by Dermot Mee.
Ethan Ennis threatened with a series of whipped-in crosses throughout the match, one of which found the head of Ethan Wheatley, who could only flick it into the grasp of the Rochdale keeper.
Wheatley and Ennis then both had efforts from outside the box sail just the wrong side of the post to keep the score level at 0-0 going into the break.
The match opened up a bit more in the second half as the chances began to flow United’s way. Wheatley looked to capitalise on a mistake from Rochdale before he curled an effort wide of the left post off his weaker foot.
United’s number nine was finding himself in good positions but was unable to apply the finish as again he sent the ball over the bar after Jack Fletcher’s cutback.
It wasn’t until the 82nd minute that United finally made the breakthrough. Fletcher found substitute Chido Obi at the edge of the box to hold up the play and lay off to Amir Ibragimov for an incredible driven finish into the bottom left corner from more than 20 yards out, which was only topped by Ibragimov’s backflip celebration.
Obi then almost provided his second assist on the night when he drifted out to the right wing to provide a deep cross to Ennis to volley off the post.
One goal was enough to secure the three points and retain the top spot in the group as United go into the final group stage match against Oldham with one foot already in the next stage of the competition.
United: Mee, Kamason, Jackson, Kingdon, Murray (Rowe 69), Gore (Devaney 69), Moorhouse (Mantato 69), Ibragimov, J. Fletcher, Ennis, Wheatley (Obi 80)
Unused subs: Murdock, Munro, Missin
Colm Murphy
A football obsessed Canadian who moved to England to enjoy the beautiful game. Colm has been keen follower of Manchester United’s famed academy since seeing a fresh faced Adnan Januzaj for the club’s u18s and has been writing about football with a focus on youth development for over 10 years.
