Aston Villa came back from a nightmare start to beat Manchester City 3-1 in the FA Youth Cup final, denying the latter the chance to retain the title.
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Villa stage comeback victory in finalCity had got off to dream startDunbar-McDonald missed two key chances for CityFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱TELL ME MORE
City came into the final at Villa Park on the back of an incredible run of 27 victories in a row and after pipping Manchester United to the U18 Premier League title. And they could hardly have begun the game better, taking the lead inside two minutes.
Harrison Miles intercepted a naïve pass from Villa goalkeeper Sam Proctor and knocked it ahead to City's top scorer Matty Warhurst, who passed it into the net. But Villa came right back and were level by the fourth minute, when TJ Carroll climbed highest to head home from a corner. City had more of the ball and more chances but they failed to strike again, lacking a cutting edge inside the area and often trying to over-play moves.
Villa did the opposite and made the most of their few forays forward. They took the lead after the half-hour mark through a stunning strike by Cole Brannigan from outside the area and then stretched their lead further midway through the second half with an equally good effort from Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, who cut in from the left wing and fired just inside the near post.
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City missed the chance to become the first team to retain the trophy since 2018, when Chelsea lifted the Cup for a fifth consecutive season.
Getty THE MVP
Northern Irishman Brannigan scored a goal worthy of winning any cup final when he struck a bouncing clearance with the outside of his left foot and sent it flying into the net. The strike didn't end up being the winner but it was the turning point in the game, giving Villa belief they could beat City despite their opponents looking like the better team. Brannigan marked the goal with a nod to his namesake Cole Palmer, imitating the Chelsea and England superstar's 'ice-cold' celebration. Palmer also scored the winner in the 2020 Youth Cup final against Chelsea, when Morgan Rogers and James McAtee also got on the scoresheet.
THE BIG LOSER
City forward Christian Dunbar-McDonald was starting for the first time in the FA Youth Cup run due to the absence of the injured Ryan McAidoo but he failed to make the most of the opportunity, missing two huge chances in the first half. He should have restored City's lead when teed up by Reigan Heskey in the middle of the area but he spooned over the bar.
He then should have equalised later in the first half when he received the ball from Warhurst but he side-footed wide of the net. Dunbar-McDonald paid a heavy price for the two misses as he was taken off at the start of the second half for Matty Henderson-Hall.
