Fulham under-17s won their second consecutive Premier League Cup group game, beating rivals Chelsea 2-0 at Cobham Training Ground on Wednesday evening.
A second-half Michael Olakigbe brace secured the three points, but the young Whites now await another result between Southampton and Reading before discovering whether they'll progress to the Quarter-Finals.
The hosts should have taken the lead just two minutes in. Richard Olise latched onto a ball down the right-hand side before cutting it across to an unmarked Ronnie Stutter who smashed over.
Chelsea’s Leo Castledine found himself in a good position after Aleksi Heino played a floating cross towards him, but his attempted volley went wide.
Imani Lanquedoc took aim down the other end straight after, but his curling shot was also off target.
The young Blues had a couple of quickfire shots at goal a few minutes later, but both were comfortably dealt with by the Fulham goalkeeper.
Chelsea struck the crossbar on the 26-minute mark after a nicely worked move. Midfielder Lewis Hall split the defence with a through-ball to Jimmi Tauriainen whose powerful attempt from a tight angle fired off the woodwork.
Fulham came extremely close to taking the lead five minutes before the break. Sanderson found his shot blocked before Jaylan Wildbore’s stinging effort was palmed away by the ‘keeper. Both sides looked dangerous going forward.
Lanquedoc forced another save off the Chelsea stopper five minutes later. Olakigbe’s cross from the left found the winger on the edge of the box and his half volley was pushed wide by the ‘keeper at full stretch.
Stutter found himself running through on goal shortly after the restart, but his right-footed effort was well blocked by Allen. A number of Fulham players called for the flag to be raised but were soon rescued by their goalkeeper.
Wildbore tried his luck on 57 minutes after latching onto a Lanquedoc ball down the right, but his effort had too much power and was off target.
Sanderson was denied a huge goalscoring opportunity a few minutes later, being denied by Billy Gee who put in an excellent sliding challenge.
After a mistake in midfield from the home side, the young Whites quickly swept forward with Wildbore laying the ball off to Olakigbe down the right, whose side-footed shot dragged just wide of the far post.
The deadlock was finally broken on 81 minutes and it was the visitors who went in front. Sanderson made his way across the edge of the box before finding Olakigbe, who smashed the ball past the ‘keeper and into the roof of the net.
Sanderson nearly doubled the lead a few minutes later after a nightmare at the back for Chelsea. The goalkeeper’s clearance flew straight into the path of the striker, who couldn’t get the ball under control.
Olakigbe grabbed his second of the game six minutes later, pouncing on a mistake at the back before slotting his shot underneath the ‘keeper.
Team Lineup:
Allen; Tanton, Williams, Antonsson, Odutayo; Benjamin, Caton, Olakigbe, Lanquedoc; Wildbore, Sanderson
Subs:
McNally, McCoy-Splatt, Avenall, Parkes
