First-half goals from Shumaira Mheuka and Harrison Murray-Campbell proved decisive on Monday evening at Seagrave, as Chelsea Under-21s returned to winning ways and moved up to second in the Premier League 2 table with victory over Leicester.
It was an electric start as we showed pure determination to get back to winning ways. Our skipper of the evening, Mheuka, broke the deadlock within the opening 10 minutes, calmly slotting home his 18th goal of the season.
Before the interval, Murray-Campbell doubled our advantage, tapping in from close range off Jesse Derry’s expertly delivered free-kick, sending the Blues 2-0 into the break.
After the restart, Kirsten Otchere pulled one back with a well-placed header, but it wasn’t enough to undo our hard work. We held firm until the final whistle, kicking off the week perfectly in our two-fixture Premier League 2 schedule. We now sit second in the table, just two points behind Manchester United, with momentum firmly on our side.
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Perfect start
We wasted no time on the Foxes’ training ground. Within six minutes, we struck on opposition turf to take an early lead. A sharp charge upfield from Murray-Campbell set the move in motion, as he found winger Ryan Kavuma-McQueen before delivering a perfectly weighted cross into the box. Mheuka was on hand to apply the simplest of finishes, tapping home from close range to give the Blues the ideal start.
As the game settled, the home side enjoyed more possession, but clear openings were hard to come by. Murray-Campbell and Genesis Antwi linked up impressively, helping to disrupt Leicester’s attacking rhythm as they hunted for an equaliser.
Our threat at the other end remained constant. A slick midfield move saw Reggie Walsh shift the ball wide to Derry, who cut inside and unleashed a venomous low strike. Harry French reacted brilliantly, diving smartly to keep the effort out.
Mheuka opened the scoring against Leicester City
Approaching the half-hour mark, the Blues went close again. Derry, who was proving a constant menace, slid a perfectly timed through ball into the path of Mheuka. The striker drove into the penalty area and went for a sweeping finish, but French once more stood firm, denying him a second with a strong save between the sticks.
Doubling our advantage
The pressure finally told just before the interval, as we extended our lead with a goal that felt inevitable. It came from a brilliantly executed set-piece, with Derry delivering a dangerous free-kick into the box from a promising position. Murray-Campbell reacted first, getting a crucial touch to guide the ball beyond French and into the back of the net.
We went into the break deservedly two goals up, firmly in control and with momentum firmly on our side.
Defender Murray-Campbell extended our lead
Chelsea emerged for the second half with the same intensity and were almost rewarded with a third goal moments after the restart. Kavuma-McQueen delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area, where schoolboy Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli slid in at the back post, but he was inches away from making contact as the ball flashed narrowly wide.
Foxes’ fight back
The hosts eventually pulled one back through a set-piece of their own. A short corner was worked to Tommy Neale, who clipped a teasing delivery into the box and Otchere rose highest to power a header past Gaga Slonina, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
We responded quickly. Derry saw a low strike kept out, before Nicoll-Jazuli followed up with a powerful effort of his own, but French was equal to both, producing two outstanding saves to keep Leicester within touching distance.
Emenalo worked hard in defence
Controlled finish
Substitute Charlie Holland made an immediate impact after coming on, threading a perfectly weighted pass into Mheuka’s path. The striker struck low and cleanly, but French produced yet another outstanding save to keep the effort out.
The Blues went close again late on, with Leo Cardoso almost adding his name to the scoresheet. After some neat build-up play, he fired a shot on target, only for the Foxes’ keeper to deny Chelsea once more in the closing stages.
Despite being unable to find a third, our first-half goals proved decisive. A disciplined, hard-fought second-half display ensured we held firm to secure all three Premier League 2 points, reigniting our winning ways and returning to Cobham with a deserved victory.
Full report by Chelseafc.com
