Men's under-21s beaten by early penalty against Manchester United

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Bruce Talbot

2025-01-26T18:00+00:00

Marcus Ifill went close with this header in the first half. 📷 James Boardman.

Albion’s men’s under-21s are still searching for their first win of 2025 in Premier League 2 after an early penalty condemned them to a 1-0 home defeat against Manchester United on Sunday.

Sam Mather scored the only goal after five minutes and although they had chances to equalise Albion couldn’t make them count.

Marcus Ifill went close in the first half with a powerful header well saved by Elyu Harrison before he unselfishly teed up substitute Sahil Bashir late on, but Bashir fired well over from close range. United had opportunities of their own but Albion will feel their efforts merited a point.

Diego Gomez played the first 45 minutes. 📷 James Boardman.

Diego Gomez and Ruairi McConville - among the substitutes for the first team on Saturday – were included in a strong starting XI but Albion got off to the worst possible start when they conceded after five minutes.

There seemed to be minimal contact when McConville challenged United captain Dan Gore on the byline but Gore went down, the referee awarded a penalty and Mather gave Cahill no chance from the spot.

Cahill had to save an effort from Jack Moorhouse heading for the bottom corner and Gore was also off target as United played with greater fluency in the opening stages.

Albion had a strong wind in their faces in the first half but they began to threaten. Charlie Penman had two stabs at converting Harry Howell’s inswinging corner but couldn’t beat United keeper Elyu Harrison before Freddie Simmonds got across to block Chido Obi’s shot.

Ruairi McConville clears his lines in the first half. 📷 James Boardman.

Harrison made a good save to his right just before the break to keep out Ifill’s powerful header after Josh Robertson’s cross found him in space at the far post before a melee on the touchline saw three players, including Robertson, booked. Gomez then flicked an inviting ball into the six-yard box but Robertson couldn’t get sufficient contact to beat Harrison as Albion turned around a goal down.

McConville and Gomez came off at the break and United were first to threaten in the second half as Cahill made a smart low save to his right to keep out Moorhouse’s shot before Albion went close on 57 minutes. Ifill and Caylan Vickers worked an opening down the left and when Bashir’s shot was blocked the ball fell to fellow substitute Harry Mills who blasted a right-foot effort over from ten yards.

Sahil Bashir is off target with this second-half effort. 📷 James Boardman.

Cahill flew himself at full stretch to push Obi’s 20-yarder out and from the corner Charlie Penman blocked Gore’s effort before Bashir wasted a great chance to level with 11 minutes to go. Substitute Yussif Owusu played the ball in from the left via a fortunate deflection and Ifill laid it into Bashir’s path 12 yards out but, unmarked, he opted for power and blazed well over the target.

United had to negotiate the closing stages with ten men after Louis Jackson picked up a second yellow card for a foul in the 88th minute and both sides had opportunities in stoppage time.

Obi almost doubled United’s lead when his shot on the turn from the edge of the box came off the post before Harrison dropped Joe Knight’s corner but Habeeb Ogunneye cleared off the line with the last kick of the game.

Albion: Cahill, McConville (Mills 45), Slater, F. Simmonds, Penman, Knight, Ifill, Gomez (Bashir 45), Vickers, Howell (Moulton 85), Robertson (Owusu 62).