City Under-19s confirm place in Youth League knockout with Juventus draw

Juventus midfielder Patryk Mazur gave the hosts the lead after converting their corner just shy of the 20-minute mark.

Defender Samuel drew City level on 34 minutes with a fantastic, drilled effort that flew into the top right corner as City grew into the game.

With the game an evenly matched affair, the spoils were shared in Turin as both teams secured passage for the next stage of the prestigious European competition.  

WHAT HAPPENED

It was an idyllic setting for our final League Phase game of the newly formatted Youth League. Snow-covered mountains looked pristine in the distance as the game began at the Allianz Training Centre.

Early pressure from Juventus in the opening 10 minutes saw City defend in numbers as we denied the hosts any chance of testing Spike Brits, on his competition debut, before we began to take control of the match.

But it would be the hosts who took the lead on 19 minutes, a slight shock after Ben Wilkinson‘s side began the brighter side. Juventus’s initial corner was headed goal-bound by Javier Gil Puche but was blocked by a sea of City bodies.

Our scramble to clear the ball fell only as far as Mazur who nudged home at the far post.

City continued to fight for an equaliser and perhaps something special was needed with it proving difficult to break down Juventus. And that spark of magic came from an unlikely scorer in Samuel. 

After City overloaded Juventus’s third with bodies, right-back the Blues defender found space just inside the opposition’s box. He fired a right-footed shot towards the goal and it flew into the top right corner just after the half-hour mark.  

Ryan McAidoo had registered our first shot on target just a minute prior as City fought hard for our first, and only, goal of the game.

The match was end-to-end from the restart with Brits called into action to deny a ranged effort from Alessia Vacca which was quickly followed by a McAidoo chance at the opposite end.

But neither side could find the advantage before the half-time whistle.  

Playing into the glistening sun in the second half, the 45 minutes began in similar fashion to the first, Juventus in search of an early goal before City took control of possession.

Alfa-Ruprecht showcased his pace as he broke to the byline with the ball on 67 minutes. He cut inside onto his favoured left foot but his shot flew away from the top-left corner in what was the best chance for either side.

The hosts struggled to keep up with play as City enjoyed large spells of possession. Fouls all around Juventus’s half made it difficult for Wilkinson’s side to maintain a healthy rhythm but chances for Oboavwoduo and Alfa-Ruprecht as we approached the 80-minute mark continued to inspire.

Late substitutions from both sides added a boost of energy in the closing stages but a draw was what both sides settled for as the curtain fell on the Youth League League Phase.

HOW WE LINED UP

Spike Brits returned to the starting line-up after an injury spell. He was protected by a back four of Lakyle Samuel, Max Alleyne, Kian Noble and Stephen Mfuni.

In midfield, Charlie Gray, Jaden Heskey and Justin Oboavwoduo worked relentless in City’s engine room.

Ryan McAidoo moved centrally to lead the attacking line with Reigan Heskey and Farid Alfa-Ruprecht on either side.

JUVENTUS XI | Radu, Martinez, Gil Puche, Boufandar, Pugno, Vacca (Finocchiaro 87’), Pagnucco, Biliboc (Ventre 75’), Mazur, Keutgen (Florea 75’), Savio.

SUBS | Zelezny, Nisci, Montero, Scienza, Finocciaro, Merola, Lopez.

CITY XI | Brits, Samuel, Alleyne, Noble, Mfuni, Gray (Braithwaite 90’) Alfa-Rurpecht, J. Heskey, McAidoo, Oboavwoduo (Warhurst 86’), R. Heskey.

SUBS | Hudson, Henderson-Hall, Fapetu, Batty.

WHAT IT MEANS

The League Phase is complete and City finished 11th. 

This means Wilkinson’s side will face one of 10 teams who have qualified for the knockout stage through the Champions route.

Keep across mancity.com and the Official Man City App for updates on who we will face in the Round of 16. 

UP NEXT

Our EDS’s final game of 2024 will see us travel to Nottingham Forest.

Kick-off is scheduled for 19:00 (UK) on Monday 16 December as we look to end the calendar year top of the Premier League 2 table.