U21s: Wolves v United

Friday 24 February 2023 21:00

Manchester United's Under-21s fought hard to draw with Wolves away from home on Friday night, with goals from Omari Forson and Joe Hugill being cancelled out by Tyler Roberts and Owen Farmer.

Mark Dempsey's side dominated the majority of proceedings, but the tie will prove to be a key learning opportunity for the young Reds, who were two goals up with little over 20 minutes left to play.

Forson opened the scoring in the first half, rewarding United's early pressure, before Hugill added a second after 68 minutes, finishing a chance that was expertly crafted by his fellow goalscorer.

But as the match entered the closing stages, the hosts came back into the match. Roberts placed an effort beyond Nathan Bishop with 75 minutes on the clock, before fellow substitute Farmer directed his header beyond the United 'keeper just two minutes from time, clinching a late point for Wolves.

Noam Emeran had a good opportunity with just seven minutes on the clock, but he couldn't hit the target.

The young Reds came out of the traps fast against the hosts and almost took the lead after just six minutes. Dan Gore - captain for the evening - slid Mateo Meija through down the right, but the forward dragged his shot wide of Palmi Arinbjornsson's goal.

Moments later, Noam Emeran went close, but the Reds winger got under the ball too much and his strike went over the crossbar.

United continued to search for an early goal, and after 15 minutes Forson tried his luck from range, but to no avail.

The young Reds were rewarded for the early pressure after 17 minutes, though, as Forson wasn't to be denied a second time and cleverly finished a slick move that was started by Gore and involved Mejia.

With half an hour played, the Reds looked the most likely to score the next goal of the match. Forson again went close, latching onto the end of Sam Murray's pinpoint pass, but the forward couldn't grab his second of the game.

As half-time came into view, it was United who were again knocking at the Wolves door for a second goal. Following a clearance from Marc Jurado's initial cross, Tom Huddlestone expertly found Forson at the back post, but he failed to hit the target.

The hosts responded but the young Reds caught them on the counter once more, working the ball well to Mejia, only for the winger to be denied by the body of Arinbjornsson.

The Reds had one more opportunity to make it 2-0 before the break when a superb passage of play resulted in an opening for Emeran, but Arinbjornsson was there again to ensure United went in at half-time one goal to the good.

Omari Forson's goal was the difference between the two sides at the break, and boy did he enjoy it!

Our Under-21s began the second half in the same vein as the first and almost doubled the lead moments after the restart. Jurado found himself in acres of space after making an overlap, but the right-back was denied by a combination of defender and goalkeeper.

Forson continued his search for his and United's second goal, cutting in from the right and bending a dangerous left-footed effort that didn't quite have the bend on it to end up in the far corner.

Wolves dealt with United's threat more effectively in the second half, but the Reds went close again after an hour, with Gore trying his luck with a half-volley from the edge of the box which flew narrowly wide of the post.

The Reds began the second half in search of another goal.

Wolves reminded our Under-21s of the threat they pose with two good opportunities, but neither Nathan Fraser nor Owen Heskeths could make them count.

And United extended the lead to two just moments after Heskeths' opportunity, with Hugill finishing from Forson's cross after the winger put the ball on a plate for the striker.

But the hosts weren't going to go down easily and halved the deficit with 75 minutes on the clock through substitute Roberts, setting up a tense finale.

With just two minutes left to play, Wolves found their equaliser. A dangerous delivery was met by the head of Farmer, and the substitute powered the ball beyond Bishop to level the proceedings and clinch a late point for the hosts.

Despite United's hard work and endeavour, we were pegged back in the closing stages at 2-2.

MATCH DETAILS

United XI: Bishop; Jurado, Aljofree, Huddlestone, Murray; Gore (c), Collyer (Wellens 78); Mejia, Forson, Emeran; Hugill

Subs: Mee, Nolan, Jackson, Hansen-Aaroen.

Goals: Forson 17, Hugill 68.

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