10-man EDS slip to defeat away at Brighton | OneFootball

City’s Elite Development Squad went down to a 2-0 defeat away at Brighton and Hove Albion in our final Premier League 2 clash ahead of the November international break.

The City youngsters were up against it having been reduced to 10-men on 12 minutes when Femi Fapetu was shown a straight red card.

Brighton quickly made the numerical advantage tell, opening the scoring on 21 minutes through Charlie Tasker’s header before then doubling their advantage on the stroke of half time through an Adam Brett header.

City created a number of chances of our own and twice struck the woodwork in the second half through Divine Mukasa and Seb Naylor.

The hosts were themselves reduced to 10 men on 80 minutes when Yussuf Owusu was shown a straight red card for violent conduct.

And City then saw an injury time penalty by Mukasa saved on what ultimately proved a frustrating afternoon on the south coast.

The game in 250 words

City had been forced into a late change shortly before kick-off when Fapetu was drafted into the starting eleven in place of Charlie Gray.

However, Fapteu’s afternoon was soon cut short when the midfielder was shown a straight red card on 12 minutes, reducing the City youngsters to 10 players.

Within nine minutes the hosts made their numerical advantage tell, Albion skipper Charlie Tasker breaking the deadlock as he rose to meet a Younes Ibrahim cross and power home a header from the centre of the box past City keeper Jack Wint.

With a numerical advantage Brighton enjoyed much of the possession, but City remained a threat and Emilio Lawrence forced a smart save from Albion keeper Steven Hall after cutting back on his right foot to shoot on goal.

The hosts though then regrouped and from a scramble in the City box on the stroke of half-time, Adam Brett headed home after Wint had parried an initial effort.

The young Blues sought to regroup and Hall was called into action again in first half injury time to keep out a goal bound Jadel Katongo header from a City corner.

City then came even closer to reducing the deficit when Mukasa’s effort just past the hour struck the bar.

At the other end, Wint then performed heroics to tip a goal bound Brett shot onto the woodwork before then doing well to deny substitute Aiden West’s close-range shot.

With the clock winding down the hosts were then also reduced to 10 players with Yussif Owusu shown a straight red for violent conduct.

The City youngsters were denied again by the woodwork with substitute Seb Naylor seeing his 86th minute strike rebound back off the post.

City were then awarded a penalty deep into stoppage time but Mukasa’s spot kick was subsequently saved by Brighton keeper Hall.

How we lined up

Jack Wint was in goal and shielded by a back four of Brooklyn Nfonkeu, Harrison Parker, Jadel Katongo and Stephen Mfuni.

Femi Fapetu was City’s holding midfielder with skipper Jaden Heskey and Divine Mukasa also in the engine room.

Mahamadou Sangare was the focal striking point with Emilio Lawrence and Ashton Muir providing the attacking width.

BRIGHTON: Hall, Mackley, Keogh, Barclay, Penman (Atom 61), Owusu, Tasker (c) (Hayden 45), Middleton, Brett (Brennan 83), Belmont (West 26), Ibrahim

Subs: Jensen.

EDS XI: Wint, Nfonkeu, Parker, Katongo, Mfuni, Fapetu, J Heskey (c), Mukasa, Muir (Naylor 86), Sangare, Lawrence (Warhurst 73)

Subs: Smith, Brits

What it means

A fourth league loss of the season leaves the City youngsters in 19th position in the Premier League 2 table.We have 10 points from our eight games to date.

What’s next

The City youngsters now take a pause from competitive action due to the November international break.

Ben Wilkinson’s side are next in action on Tuesday November 25 when we play host to Bayer Leverkusen in our penultimate UEFA Youth League league phase match.

Kick-off at the Joie Stadium is set for 15.00 (UK) with CITY+ subscribers able to watch the game live.