The club’s first FA Youth Cup semi-final appearance since 2005 did not end how Wolves under-18s would have dreamt it, but they did themselves proud despite defeat at Old Trafford. Steve Davis’ side had enjoyed a thrilling journey to the last four, but found Manchester United a step too far, falling to a 3-0 defeat.
Charlie McNeil rounded Palmi Arinbjornsson for the opening goal, but Wolves had moments of their own in the first-half and hit the post through Nathan Fraser. The lively Tyler Roberts also came close on more than one occasion, but Alejandro Garnacho’s impressive strike and a late McNeil second spelled the end of Wolves’ FA Youth Cup campaign for another season.
Taking part in their first FA Youth Cup semi-final since 2005, Wolves had actually settled well and looked lively, but the hosts took the initiative after 16 minutes. Isak Hansen’s pass around the corner tempted Arinbjornsson off his line, which allowed McNeil to take the ball round him and roll into an unguarded net.
Wolves’ youngsters did react well to that setback, and Harvey Griffiths fired into the side netting from a deep Aaron Keto-Diyawa free-kick. At the other end, a quick United break almost resulted in Garnacho tapping in at the back post, but Arinbjornsson spread himself to make the save at the back post.
Garnacho came even closer soon after, as he beat Arinbjornsson, but not Keto-Diyawa on the line, before Hansen lashed the rebound wide. It was far from one-way traffic however, and Wolves’ bright spark Roberts followed a mazy run by dragging a shot narrowly wide five minutes before the interval.
His striker partner went even closer soon after too, as Tyler Fredricson misjudged the flight of the ball and Fraser nipped in, but the striker’s lob came back off the outside of the post. Then, from a dangerous Oliver Tipton corner, Roberts headed just over at the near post.
Half-time | Man United 1-0 Wolves
It took nine minutes of the second period to register the first shot, but it went to Wolves, and followed a nice team move. Griffiths, so comfortable on the ball, took his time to slip in Dexter Lembikisa and he had the vision to lay off for Roberts, but his sweeping effort flew of the bar.
However, United’s second goal was just around the corner. When Kam Kandola lost possession in the middle of the park, the hosts broke two versus two, and Garnacho sized up Lembikisa, cut on to his right and bent an impressive finish beyond Arinbjornsson.
That second goal appeared to drain the hope out of Wolves, but they kept battling away, and Roberts in particular tried to drag his side back into contention, but headed over from a corner with time running out. However, as the game entered injury time McNeil turned in after a strong save by Arinbjornsson to rubber stamp United’s win.
Full-time | Man United 3-0 Wolves
NEXT FIVE
12/03 Newcastle (A)
19/03 Blackburn Rovers (H)
29/03 Nottingham Forest (A)
02/04 Manchester City (A)
09/04 Everton (H)
TEAMS
Man United | Jurado, Murray, Fredricson, Bennett, Mainoo, Mather (Oyedele 63), Gore, McNeil (Hugill 90), Hansen (Forson 90), Garnacho.
Unused subs | Kambwala, Wooster, Pye, Norkett.
Wolves | Arinbjornsson, Lembikisa, Kandola (Farmer 63), Tipton, Hubner, Keto-Diyawa, Birtwistle (Esen 75), Griffiths, Fraser, Rees (Kaleta 75), Roberts.
Unused subs |Storer, Mabete, Francis-Burrell, Ojinnaka.
