Highlights & Reaction | U18s qualify for PL Cup quarter-finals with win over Southampton | West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United U18 team secured a 3-1 victory over Southampton U18 team in the U18 Premier League Cup Group D match held at the Little Heath Training Ground on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 11 AM GMT.
This afternoon at Little Heath, West Ham United's Under-18 team advanced to the quarter-finals of the Premier League Cup after defeating Southampton 3-1.
Even though Everton has a chance to finish first in their group by defeating Nottingham Forest by at least two goals, the young Hammers will still advance to the knockout rounds as the top second-place team with seven points.
Josh Ajala scored twice, while Elisha Sowunmi added his twelfth goal of the season across various competitions, helping Lauris Coggin's young Hammers maintain their unbeaten streak at six matches.
Since the U21s didn't have a game this weekend, Ajala made a quick impact upon his return to the U18s team by scoring just 33 seconds into the match. The lively Hammers came out strong, putting pressure on their opponents right from the start. Ajala, who had intercepted the ball in Southampton's half, capped off the play he initiated by easily slotting in a fantastic cross from Jethro Medine.
Even though the game kicked off at a rapid pace, it was nowhere near the nonstop excitement of their last match just three weeks prior.
In the half hour following Ajala's first goal, West Ham maintained their advantage with poise, displaying a well-organized defense that frequently put their rivals in offside positions. However, during the one moment they slipped up, they faced significant consequences.
Not long after the 30-minute mark, even though he didn't have much help in the attack, Sowunmi managed to make a great run down the right side and sent a cross into the penalty area. Unfortunately for him, the West Ham goalkeeper, Dylan Moody, handled the situation effectively. However, this led to a counterattack for Southampton, who took advantage of West Ham's vulnerability. A precise pass from Thierry Rohart-Brown found Nicholas Oyekunle, who managed to stay onside. Oyekunle then shifted the ball to his right, evading two defenders who were trying to recover, and calmly scored his twelfth goal of the season to level the game at 1-1.
Even though they faced a setback, the young Hammers responded in under a minute, scoring almost right after the kickoff again! Emeka Adiele, who had been a constant threat to the Saints' defense during the first half, made a quick run down the left side after receiving a pass from Riley Hargan. Taking advantage of their numbers, Adiele passed the ball back to Sowunmi at the edge of the box. With a superb first touch, Sowunmi produced what is becoming his signature move—a brilliant curling shot that went beyond the reach of Moody, the Southampton goalkeeper.
Eager to make a comeback, Southampton introduced Sufianu Sillah Dibaga, who had netted a goal during their previous encounter just three weeks earlier. This season, the 17-year-old Spanish winger has made a significant impact, contributing to seven goals in seven matches for the young Saints, making him a considerable danger on the right flank.
Despite the increasing pressure on the West Ham goal, with goalkeeper Lanre Awesu stepping up to make some key saves, it was West Ham who nearly found the back of the net. Rayan Oyebade directed a header from a Sowunmi cross towards the goal, but a brilliant save by Moody kept it out.
Southampton kept pushing for a goal to level the score, but West Ham's solid defense remained unyielding. With just five minutes left in the game, after their longest stretch of keeping the ball in Southampton’s half since Oyebade's opportunity nearly 20 minutes earlier, West Ham secured a victory and advanced to the next stage.
In the second half, Majid Balogun came on as a substitute and continued to challenge the Saints’ full-backs just like Adiele had done. He skillfully evaded two defenders and charged towards the Southampton goal. Balogun sent a low pass across the penalty area, which allowed Ajala to find a little space. He then shot with precision across his body, and his deflected attempt found its way into the bottom left corner of the net.
In added time, West Ham nearly scored again twice. A volleyed cross from Preston Fearon was redirected by Airidas Golambeckis to Mehmet Halim. He headed the ball, marking his first touch since coming on for Ajala, but Moody made a fantastic reflex save to deny him. Then, with the final kick of the match, Halim had another chance, this time assisted by fellow late substitute Lewis Beckford, but his shot went just wide of the far post.
Even though there are still three remaining matches in the group stage, Coggin's young Hammers have already secured their spot in the next round. They could finish as group winners, depending on how Everton performs against Nottingham Forest, or they may qualify as the best second-place team with seven points and a goal difference of plus four.
West Ham United U18s: Awesu, Medine, Mayers (Nwosu at halftime), Golambeckis, Oyebade, Fearon (captain), Sowunmi, Kamara, Ajala (Halim in the 90th minute), Hargan (Beckford in the 90th minute), Adiele (Balogun in the 69th minute). Substitutes not used: Hooper (goalkeeper).
Scores: Ajala 1, 85, Sowunmi 36
Southampton's Under-18 team consists of: Moody, Adjei-Afriyie, Matthews, Dobson-Ventura, Sheaf (replaced by Goremusandu in the 77th minute), McMullan, Newman (substituted by Martin at halftime), Rohart-Brown (switched out for Sillah Dibaga at halftime), Oyekunle, Daley, and Gathercole. The substitutes who did not play were Upstell (goalkeeper) and Bassega.
Coggin: Our Players Showed Incredible Work Ethic
Following their sixth consecutive game without a loss and their advancement to the quarter-finals of the Premier League Cup, head coach Lauris Coggin expressed his satisfaction with the impressive performance of his developing Hammers team.
"I’m truly impressed by the unity we demonstrated," he stated. "The effort and resolve were complemented by some great moments of skill. If you take a look at the goals we scored, they were quite gratifying as well. The level of dedication from each and every player was outstanding."
Having faced this afternoon's opponents just three weeks ago in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Little Heath, the team was ready to take on the Saints once more.
"We fine-tuned a few key aspects of our approach, particularly in our pressing strategy, which played a role in our first goal. Despite some changes in players for both teams, we had a good understanding of what to expect from them. They're one of the strongest teams we've encountered at this level - a highly skilled squad that challenges you in every aspect. I'm really happy with how we dealt with that."
“I’m really happy for the players who joined the starting lineup; Lanre [Awesu] and Riley [Hargan] performed excellently. Majid [Balogun] also impressed; as a first-year scholar from Manchester United, he’s shown great patience, and it was wonderful to see the role he played in setting up the third goal. Watching the boys celebrate with him was fantastic and embodies the spirit we want to encourage.”
Kamara: We Feel Confident Right Now
In his tenth game of the season, first-year student Aaron Kamara showcased his adaptability once more. He began the match in midfield but switched to left-back for the second half. Kamara was a significant presence in the attack and also handled the defensive challenges presented by Sillah Dibaga on Southampton's right flank.
Looking back on their second match against the Saints this month, Kamara remarked, “In the first half, it seemed like they had really done their homework on us. You could see they were ready to counter the strategies that had been effective for us in the previous game. Having players like Ezra [Mayers] joining us at the back made a significant difference.”
He went on to say, "There’s a strong sense of unity within the team, which was evident when everyone celebrated with Majid after our third goal. He’s been putting in a lot of effort during practice, and it’s wonderful to see that hard work recognized."
"We're really optimistic right now. Staying unbeaten in six matches is quite an achievement, so we’re feeling quite powerful as we approach the FA Youth Cup, which is a major objective for us."
