A pair of stoppage time goals from Brandon Barker, the second from the penalty spot, gave the young Blues a 2-1 win over Leicester on the night and a thoroughly deserved 5-1 victory over two legs in which they dominated possession and chances.
Layton Ndukwu’s second half penalty looked to have given the Foxes a route back into the tie, but City’s youngsters refused to panic and their attacking prowess was rewarded late on to take the tally of goals scored to 22 so far in the competition.
Now Chelsea await in what will be a rematch of the last final City contested seven years ago.
City held a 3-0 advantage from the first leg after a thoroughly dominant display in which Aaron Nemane netted twice either side of a Denzeil Boadu strike.
However, with the prospect of a Youth Cup final a potential 90 minutes away, Jason Wilcox opted to field another strong team with just three enforced changes from the line-up that started the first leg at the Academy Stadium in March.
Shorn of captain Tosin Adarabioyo, Thierry Ambrose and Boadu through injury, the boss brought in Charlie Oliver, Marcus Wood and Manu Garcia from a squad that is brimming with young talent.
Bersant Celina led the line, supported by Barker and Nemane on either wing.
Leicester needed to score four goals to overturn the deficit from the first leg, but it was City who sprang out of the blocks the faster and created the majority of the early chances.
Barker and Angelino took up from where they left off a few weeks ago, and as the pair repeatedly went on the rampage down the left hand side the Foxes’ right back must have been longing for the half time whistle before the opening 15 minutes had elapsed.
It was Barker who fashioned the first chance of the night, cutting inside and forcing a good stop from keeper Max Smith-Varnham before Kean Bryan unleashed a fierce long range drive that required the young stopper to leap acrobatically to tip the ball over the top.
England youth international Barker found the side netting after 10 minutes, and his excellent cross minutes later found Nemane who should have done better with his free header but misdirected over the bar.
The Foxes began to gain more of a foothold in the game as the half wore on, but their best chance of came shortly before the break when Kjetil Haug was called into action to make an excellent save at point blank range to deny Hamza Choudhury.
Next, a moment of magic from Barker who swapped wings and tormentors, to twist and turn his way through three Leicester defenders before firing inches wide of the Foxes’ goal.
However, when the teams re-emerged it was Leicester who might have opened the scoring, as two of Haug’s clearances were charged down in quick succession but the hosts were unable to capitalise.
Unfortunately City failed to heed the warning and when Charlie Oliver was adjudged to have handled in the area, Layton Ndukwu stepped up confidently to despatch the spot kick and reduce the arrears.
Wilcox’s men responded well, and Celina came close twice to the equaliser, first with a header from Bryan’s cross and then with a fantastic curled effort after Garcia had split the defence to find Buckley with a perfect pass.
With time running out City continued to surge forward in search of goals despite the aggregate advantage and were at last rewarded just as the board went up for stoppage time, substitute Isaac Buckley ran into the six yard box to thump home Barker’s cross high into the roof of the net for the equaliser.
Not satisfied with a draw, the young boys in blue poured forward again and the Foxes defence couldn’t cope – hauling down the advancing Buckley. Barker made no mistake with the night’s second spot kick to give the celebrations an extra boost moments before the whistle.
The final awaits!
