A pair of first half strikes from Aaron Nemane and Denzeil Boadu looked to have given the young boys in blue a two goal advantage to take to the Midlands before Nemane popped up in stoppage time with his second to give the result some thoroughly-deserved gloss.
A similar display at the King Power Stadium in the second leg and City will be well on course for a final date with destiny.
In this first year at the City Football Academy, and able to play every round in the first-class surroundings of the Academy Stadium, the class of 2015 are aiming to be the first City side to reach the FA Youth Cup final since Ben Mee lifted the trophy back in 2008.
Already, a team blooming with young talent has journeyed further in the competition than any of their predecessors since 2009, but ahead of kick off the focus remained on booking a coveted place in the showpiece final with a chance of scooping English youth football’s shiniest prize.
Oxford United, Coventry City, Stoke and Crewe Alexandra all fell before City’s sword in earlier rounds, but Head Coach Jason Wilcox had warned Leicester were likely to present his charges with a tough test in the last four.
The Foxes saw off Wigan, Chesterfield, Southampton and Birmingham to reach this stage, and motivations were high under the bright Academy Stadium floodlights.
Clearly impressed by his charges’ dismantling of Crewe at the same venue last week, Wilcox made no changes from the XI that started against the Railwaymen. Thierry Ambrose was supported by Brandon Barker and Nemane on the wings, while skipper Tosin Adarabioyo marshalled the back line.
Few clear chances emerged for either side as a result of the early exchanges, but City soon seized control of possession and territory in no small part due to the diligence and skill of Kean Bryan in the centre, who was quick to nip any Foxes attacks in the bud.
Barker and Angelino hunted the opposition as a pair and gave the opposing full back a torrid time almost from the first whistle, at the heart of all City’s attacking quality and repeatedly tying the defence in knots.
England youth international Barker was unlucky not to give City the lead after 15 minutes, firing wide after more good build-up down the left and he later turned provider for Ambrose, but the forward’s shot was wayward.
Just before the half hour City finally made their dominance pay – unsurprisingly the left flank was the source. Barker again left the full back trailing before getting a cross away and Nemane was on hand to tap the ball home from close range for his second goal of the competition.
Within minutes it was two, as Boadu pounced on a poor clearance before getting his shot away under the attentions of three defenders and watching the ball elude the despairing dive of keeper Smith-Varnham.
City had the chance to go even further ahead seconds before half time when Bersant Celina tried an audacious effort from long range, and the Leicester stopper had to be alert to tip the ball over the top and prevent it flying into the roof of the net.
Chances slowed after the break although Ambrose was inches away from latching on to two through-balls from Boadu, while there was a big penalty shout from the stands after Barker tumbled to the ground on the hour mark but the referee waved away the appeals.
At the other end, Haug was barely tested as City’s Mancunian centre back pairing of Adarabioyo and Humphreys held strong.
As the second half progressed City’s search for a third intensified. Pablo Maffeo and Thierry Ambrose were both thwarted by the keeper while Adarabioyo was desperately unlucky not to score with a clever flick after a well-worked free kick taken by Angelino.
Maffeo hit the sidenetting and it was beginning to look like City would have to settle for a two goal lead, before another free kick proved to be the Foxes undoing. The visitors failed to clear and after a scramble in the box Nemane proved the winner, poking home from a few yards seconds before the referee blew for full time.
It was no less than the performance merited after a host of classy displays from City’s youngsters, who will now seek to finish the job in the second leg.
