Man United U18s Reach Cup Final
Manchester United's U18 squad beat West Ham 3-1 in extra time to reach the Premier League Cup Final against Crystal Palace, with goals from JJ Gabriel, Nathaniel Junior Brown, and Kai Rooney. In other youth soccer news, Norchad Omier became the first Nicaraguan to reach the NBA, celebrated by Miami coach Jim Larrañaga.
This marks Manchester United U18s' first appearance in the Premier League Cup final since they won the competition in the 2023-24 season. Their journey to this year's final included a dramatic 4-3 victory over West Bromwich Albion in the quarter-finals. The semi-final against West Ham was a hard-fought contest, remaining level until extra time. This victory was a reversal of fortunes from the previous season, where West Ham eliminated United in the quarter-finals on their way to winning the 2024-25 title. United's path to the knockout stages was dominant, as they finished top of their group with a perfect record, scoring 12 goals without conceding in their three matches against Brighton & Hove Albion, Middlesbrough, and Birmingham City. Goal-scorer Kai Rooney, son of former United legend Wayne Rooney, has been a regular presence in the U18s squad this season. Another of the semi-final goal-scorers, 15-year-old JJ Gabriel, has been prolific, recently scoring his 15th goal of the season in a league match against Wolves. Their opponents in the final, Crystal Palace, secured their place with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in their semi-final. The London-based club advanced to the knockout rounds after finishing top of their group with two wins and a draw. In the quarter-finals, Crystal Palace earned a 3-1 victory away at Peterborough United to book their semi-final spot.
