Heskey’s son Reigan powers Man City past United to fourth FA Youth Cup victory | OneFootball

Reigan Heskey blasted home a historic last-minute winner to take home a fourth FA Youth Cup for Manchester City, edging past rivals Manchester United 2-1 in the sides’ first meeting at the final stage for 41 years at the Joie Stadium.

Midfielder Floyd Samba put the U18 Premier League North champions in front in style with a brilliant free kick, but the United supporters in a sold-out away end waited just 59 seconds for Godwill Kukonki’s equalizer minutes before half time.

Heskey bore echoes of his father and former England international Emil when he sent a rasping shot into the roof of the net in the 87th minute after cutting inside from the left, completing a league and cup double with Pep Guardiola and Michael Carrick watching on.

As it happened

The second ever meeting between Manchester’s fierce rivals began in an understandably cagey manner given what was at stake on top of an FA Youth Cup win, until calls for a handball rang around the Joie Stadium from Chido Obi’s shot 17 minutes in.

Cameron Byrne-Hughes was forced into a great save to keep out 16-year-old Teddie Lamb, who has notched a phenomenal 25 goals in 22 league games, from point-blank range, after City captain Kaden Brainthwaite headed down Harrison Miles’ free kick.

An air of desperation in both sides’ forward play emerged with very little separating them, as both Dante Headley and United’s 15-year-old prodigy JJ Gabriel were booked for simulation mere moments apart.

Then the match exploded into life with five minutes left of the first half when Samba curled home a brilliant free kick into the top left corner, giving Byrne-Hughes no chance, only for Kukonki to level 59 seconds later when he headed in Jim Thwaites’ cross.

Lamb would see another chance to make his mark on the historic final go amiss after he sent a fizzling low cross by Reigan Heskey, son of former England international Emil, over the bar and into the visiting fans behind the goal.

City may well have been on their way to winning a fourth FA Youth Cup with 15 minutes to go when winger Ryan McAidoo darted towards the byline on the right, but his deflected cross rebounded back off of the crossbar.

The moment of truth arrived with very little time for United to respond a second time, as Heskey collected possession and shifted the ball onto his right foot and slam the ball past the helpless goalkeeper.

Obi came agonizingly close to a last-gasp equalizer to send the game into extra time, only to see his low-drilled shot well-blocked by a red shirt inside the six yard box – proving to be the final chance for Darren Fletcher’s side as the full-time whistle soon sounded.