Under-18s reaction: Proud of performance despite Fulham equaliser

The coach of Chelsea's Under-18 team, Hassan Sulaiman, had conflicting emotions following their 3-3 draw with Fulham. However, he eventually prioritized his satisfaction with the team's excellent performance over any frustration about not winning the game entirely.

The Blues and Fulham played an entertaining match at Motspur Park, ending in a draw with each team scoring three goals. Both sides displayed great football skills.

In the first half, we were losing, but we managed to take the lead two times after the break. However, we were caught up on both occasions. As a result, our lead at the top of the Under-18 Premier League southern table reduced by two points. Our head coach, Hassan Sulaiman, stated that he was satisfied with his team's performance, even though we didn't secure the win.

Sulaiman expressed his disappointment overall as they believed that they had the upper hand but unfortunately, they allowed their opponents to bounce back. Despite that, he acknowledged that their team delivered a commendable performance and played some exceptional football.

From a development and league table perspective, everyone wants us to come out on top, but our focus is not solely on winning. Our priority is to play in a manner that aligns with our principles, because nurturing individual growth remains our highest priority.

This presents a commendable test for the young lads. They are facing a considerable demand that they are not frequently accustomed to handling. This pressure is distinct, as we are currently the team ranked first. I am convinced about the team's capability and content with the way we competed.

Following the cancellation of Tyrique George's strike by the referees, we fell behind during the opening period of the game. This happened when our goalkeeper, Kai Crampton, was robbed of the ball on the outskirts of his penalty area. Unfortunately, he sustained an injury during that incident and had to be substituted.

Nevertheless, George achieved his objective just before the conclusion of the first half, maneuvering around the goalkeeper following a pass from Reiss Denny. Sulaiman was content with the performance displayed during the initial 45 minutes.

We played an excellent game and displayed an impressive performance. Our first half was a particularly notable highlight, although our second half wasn't quite as strong. We started with an optimistic approach, showcasing some exceptional football and generating some promising opportunities early on.

It was a pity that Tyrique's goal was not allowed as he was declared offside. However, there were some excellent moments during the game where we controlled the ball and made some impressive moves successfully penetrating into the opponent's third, causing a great deal of danger.

In free English, the blog section could be written like this: The opposing team managed to score, even though it wasn't in line with how the game was going. Their striker made a good move and caught Kai off guard, resulting in the ball slowly crossing the line, making it 1-0. It felt like an undeserved goal, but sadly, that's just how football works sometimes - it can be cruel.

In simple language: Our team scored another goal after making a great play, which made the score 1-1 as we went into halftime. We felt really good about our chances for the second half. We knew we had played better than the other team in the first half, and we were sure we would have more chances to score. And indeed, we went ahead 2-1.

According to him, we didn't handle the game properly when the score was 2-1. We let the other team score and tie the game to 2-2. However, we were able to score another goal and take the lead back to 3-2.

One could say that we failed to learn a lesson when we allowed our opponent to tie the game at 2-2, and we ended up conceding another goal.

During both instances when we were ahead in the game, we had chances to secure our victory. Regrettably, we were unable to locate the additional goal required, leading to a 3-3 draw.

The Blues had other good things to come out of the game. Sulaiman decided to switch up his team again and two young players got chances to play, including Jack Austin, a new goalkeeper who made his first appearance in Under-18s after Crampton got hurt.

Lately, our main focus has been on progressing further and we have been altering things accordingly to provide individuals with chances to participate. What has impressed me most is that we have been capable of maintaining a remarkable level of excellence despite our frequent modifications and adjustments.

In the past few games, we've been swapping out groups of players frequently, about four or five at a time. This indicates that progress is being made and is a positive sign.

We hope to maintain our winning streak as we compete for the southern championship in the Under-18 Premier League. Our team has four more matches to play, which includes a game against Leicester City at Cobham on Saturday. This match presents an opportunity for us to increase our points and secure a stronger position at the top of the leaderboard.