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CHELSEA YOUTH 1 ARSENAL YOUTH 0

/noticias.info/ Three games against Arsenal in five days began well with the youth team defeating the Gunners in a league fixture at Cobham on Friday.

The first team are in action on Sunday and the reserves play away to Arsenal at Barnet FC on Tuesday evening - but showing the others the way was Adam Phillip.

The England Under 17 striker, scorer of the winning goal in Wednesday's FA Youth Cup semi-final, was again on target, this time from close range in the first half.

None of the players who began that win at Aston Villa started today, although Nana Ofori-Twumasi, Lee Sawyer and Morten Nielsen were used as subs.

Phillip and Taiwo were subs on Wednesday and now started two days later.

There was early danger created by Chelsea but an offside decision went against Phillip as he closed in on goal. Then schoolboy Frank Nouble forced a save after tight-angle shot from the left.

At the other end, Niclas Heimann in the Chelsea goal pulled off a good save from Nacer Barazite, one the young German would better 10 minutes before half-time when he tipped over Rhys Murphy's shot on the run.

By then Chelsea had both lost a man, left-back Jordan Tabor injured and replaced by Ofori Twumasi, and scored the goal.

Phillip's decisive strike came from in the 21st minute after a strong run and cross by Nouble.

It took a good tackle on Rui Fonte from Shaun Cummings to prevent Arsenal getting back in it before the break and only a poor first touch by Phillip prevented Nikki Ahamed setting him up to give the young Blues a two-goal interval lead.

Ricardo Fernandes, on the final steps of a comeback from a serious knee injury, was replaced at half-time by Sawyer who played his part in a solid second-half display.

Two minutes after coming on in the 74th minute, Nielsen lobbed wide from distance after a hurried keeper clearance. Then came a head-in-hands moment for Arsenal as Barazite shot wide when very well placed.

There would be one more Arsenal chance before the end, also sent wide, but Chelsea could have extended our lead. Phillip skipped round the keeper but wide on the left, he only found the sidenetting.

Coach Paul Clement commented: 'After only playing two days ago, we changed the look of the team today. What we didn't want to happen was an after-the-Lord Mayor's-show game following a big night the other night.

'When you play Arsenal you always know it is going to be a good game. They beat us 3-1 earlier in the year.

'This time, we played the better football in the first half and created a bit more. In the second half, they were on top possession-wise but it was good to see that we defended well. We had a good chance late on and could have won it 2-0.

'The lads will have a well-deserved couple of days off now and then we will prepare for the FA Youth Cup final.'

Chelsea Niclas Heimann; Tom Taiwo (c), Shaun Cummings, Jack Saville, Jordan Tabor (Nana Ofori-Twumasi 15); Daniel Philliskirk, Ricardo Fernandes (Lee Sawyer h-t), Jordan Hibbert; Nikki Ahamed (Morten Nielsen 74), Adam Phillip, Frank Nouble.

The FA Youth Cup final first leg will take place on Thursday 3 April at Stamford Bridge, kicking off at 7pm. That game will be live on Chelsea TV.

The second leg at the City of Manchester Stadium has been set for Wednesday 16 April, and will kick-off at 7.45pm. notas_de_prensa_archivo