From the Chelsea OS:
Thu, 31st Jan 2008
The Chelsea youth team's quest to put the club into the last eight of the FA Youth Cup for the first time in a decade was achieved thanks to goals from Morten Nielsen, Gaël Kakuta and Miroslav Stoch.
Playing at Stamford Bridge for the first time in four seasons, and supported from the stands by two generations of Frank Lampards, Joe Cole plus Avram Grant and members of his staff, the Under 18s survived a nervous start to control the bulk of the first half. A more even second half ended in dramatic fashion.
Leicester are enjoying a strong league campaign at this level and were quicker into their stride. Centre-forward Craig King stabbed a shot wide in the very first minute, then a well-struck shot from Steven Howard was blocked by Blues central defender Jeffrey Bruma.
On 13 minutes, Chelsea had the ball in the net after a move involving Michael Woods and Kakuta, Jacob Mellis finishing it off but the flag was up before the shot - although replays suggested the linesman had made a clear mistake.
Chelsea were improving and a sublime trick by Kakuta almost played Woods through but the ball had too much pace and the keeper gathered.
Leicester centre-back Garner headed in a corner on 18 minutes but the goal was disallowed for a push elsewhere in the area.
Six minutes later at the other end, Nielsen reached a Stoch corner first but hoofed the ball over the bar on the volley.
Chelsea, having spent the early part of the game in their own half, were now beginning to dominate proceedings. On the half-hour, the young Blues took the lead - and it was no surprise the skilful Kakuta (pictured right) was the architect.
Cutting in from the left wing, the young Frenchman drifted past two tackles before waiting his moment to pick out Nielsen (pictured left). Five yards out, the Danish Under 18 international heeled the ball home with the keeper helpless.
Leicester midfielder Lee Cox became the game's first booking shortly after for chopping down Miroslav Stoch.
On 37 minutes, the same combination that had made the breakthrough almost added a second, Kakuta breaking down the wing and crossing for Nielsen to scoop just over with a first time shot.
One minute into stoppage time at the end of the first half, Kakuta hammered in Chelsea's second. From 12 yards out, the France Under 17 player capitalised on a mistake by O'Neil who mis-kicked while attempting to clear a Stoch cross to find the net just inside the far post
Two goals clear at the break was no reason to relax for the Blues, as Leicester proved when they pulled one back 52 minutes in. Chelsea failed to deal with a throw on the left as it was nodded on, and Robbie Burns got between tracking midfielder Sergio Tejera and Bruma to finish with a strong shot.
Tejera was Chelsea's first booking three minutes on for the latest in a series of fouls, a prelude to a difficult passage of play for Chelsea as too many errors crept into the display.
When an attack was put together, Stoch's shot on the run from the right was too wild to worry keeper O'Brien. Nielsen's shot as he cut inside from the right missed the target by some distance as well and on 70 minutes, coach Paul Clement made his first change, Lee Sawyer coming on for Mellis in midfield.
Stoch, starved of possession for much of the first half, attacked the left-back on 72 minutes before unleashing a fierce drive that the keeper juggled, his loose handiwork going unpunished.
Chelsea left-back Ben Gordon was lost to injury, replaced by Tom Taiwo on 76 minutes, resulting in a reshuffling of the back four. Chelsea were now under pressure to keep the lead but did breakout for defender Patrick van Aanholt to strike wide from the edge of the area.
In the second of five added minutes, everyone inside Stamford Bridge supporting the Blues had their hearts in their mouths when a deep cross the left was met with a firm head by Leicester striker King, the ball cannoning back off the crossbar.
In a classic example of the small margins by which football matches can be decided, having only just escaped extra time, Chelsea broke, Stoch racing half the length of the pitch to beat the defence and slide a shot inside the far post, making the victory safe.
The youth team will play away to the winners of a tie between Tottenham and Port Vale in the quarter-finals.
Chelsea Rhys Taylor; Nana Ofori-Twumasi, Jeffrey Bruma, Patrick van Aanholt, Ben Gordon (Tom Taiwo 76); Jacob Mellis (Lee Sawyer 70), Sergio Tejera, Michael Woods; Miroslav Stoch, Morten Nielsen (Adam Phillip 83), Gaël Kakuta.
Leicester Kevin O'Brien; Luke O'Neil, Scott Garner, Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Joe Corr; Steven Howard, Fraser Tuttle (Jorrin John h-t), Lee Cox, Robbie Burns; Craig King, Ashley Chambers (Elliott Chamberlain 88).
Thu, 31st Jan 2008
The Chelsea youth team's quest to put the club into the last eight of the FA Youth Cup for the first time in a decade was achieved thanks to goals from Morten Nielsen, Gaël Kakuta and Miroslav Stoch.
Playing at Stamford Bridge for the first time in four seasons, and supported from the stands by two generations of Frank Lampards, Joe Cole plus Avram Grant and members of his staff, the Under 18s survived a nervous start to control the bulk of the first half. A more even second half ended in dramatic fashion.
Leicester are enjoying a strong league campaign at this level and were quicker into their stride. Centre-forward Craig King stabbed a shot wide in the very first minute, then a well-struck shot from Steven Howard was blocked by Blues central defender Jeffrey Bruma.
On 13 minutes, Chelsea had the ball in the net after a move involving Michael Woods and Kakuta, Jacob Mellis finishing it off but the flag was up before the shot - although replays suggested the linesman had made a clear mistake.
Chelsea were improving and a sublime trick by Kakuta almost played Woods through but the ball had too much pace and the keeper gathered.
Leicester centre-back Garner headed in a corner on 18 minutes but the goal was disallowed for a push elsewhere in the area.
Six minutes later at the other end, Nielsen reached a Stoch corner first but hoofed the ball over the bar on the volley.
Chelsea, having spent the early part of the game in their own half, were now beginning to dominate proceedings. On the half-hour, the young Blues took the lead - and it was no surprise the skilful Kakuta (pictured right) was the architect.
Cutting in from the left wing, the young Frenchman drifted past two tackles before waiting his moment to pick out Nielsen (pictured left). Five yards out, the Danish Under 18 international heeled the ball home with the keeper helpless.
Leicester midfielder Lee Cox became the game's first booking shortly after for chopping down Miroslav Stoch.
On 37 minutes, the same combination that had made the breakthrough almost added a second, Kakuta breaking down the wing and crossing for Nielsen to scoop just over with a first time shot.
One minute into stoppage time at the end of the first half, Kakuta hammered in Chelsea's second. From 12 yards out, the France Under 17 player capitalised on a mistake by O'Neil who mis-kicked while attempting to clear a Stoch cross to find the net just inside the far post
Two goals clear at the break was no reason to relax for the Blues, as Leicester proved when they pulled one back 52 minutes in. Chelsea failed to deal with a throw on the left as it was nodded on, and Robbie Burns got between tracking midfielder Sergio Tejera and Bruma to finish with a strong shot.
Tejera was Chelsea's first booking three minutes on for the latest in a series of fouls, a prelude to a difficult passage of play for Chelsea as too many errors crept into the display.
When an attack was put together, Stoch's shot on the run from the right was too wild to worry keeper O'Brien. Nielsen's shot as he cut inside from the right missed the target by some distance as well and on 70 minutes, coach Paul Clement made his first change, Lee Sawyer coming on for Mellis in midfield.
Stoch, starved of possession for much of the first half, attacked the left-back on 72 minutes before unleashing a fierce drive that the keeper juggled, his loose handiwork going unpunished.
Chelsea left-back Ben Gordon was lost to injury, replaced by Tom Taiwo on 76 minutes, resulting in a reshuffling of the back four. Chelsea were now under pressure to keep the lead but did breakout for defender Patrick van Aanholt to strike wide from the edge of the area.
In the second of five added minutes, everyone inside Stamford Bridge supporting the Blues had their hearts in their mouths when a deep cross the left was met with a firm head by Leicester striker King, the ball cannoning back off the crossbar.
In a classic example of the small margins by which football matches can be decided, having only just escaped extra time, Chelsea broke, Stoch racing half the length of the pitch to beat the defence and slide a shot inside the far post, making the victory safe.
The youth team will play away to the winners of a tie between Tottenham and Port Vale in the quarter-finals.
Chelsea Rhys Taylor; Nana Ofori-Twumasi, Jeffrey Bruma, Patrick van Aanholt, Ben Gordon (Tom Taiwo 76); Jacob Mellis (Lee Sawyer 70), Sergio Tejera, Michael Woods; Miroslav Stoch, Morten Nielsen (Adam Phillip 83), Gaël Kakuta.
Leicester Kevin O'Brien; Luke O'Neil, Scott Garner, Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Joe Corr; Steven Howard, Fraser Tuttle (Jorrin John h-t), Lee Cox, Robbie Burns; Craig King, Ashley Chambers (Elliott Chamberlain 88).
