Chelsea made a fantastic start in our final match of the 2025/26 season, opening the scoring just seven minutes in through Under-18s top scorer Chizaram Ezenwata, as the Blues immediately asserted our dominance.

Boosted by that early breakthrough, Chelsea quickly added a second. Mathis Eboue struck just two minutes later to extend our lead and reflect the home side’s strong attacking momentum.

Manchester City responded and, as expected, began to grow into the game. Winger Ryan McAidoo pulled one back to reduce the deficit, but Chelsea remained firmly on the front foot. The pressure told once again as Ryan Kavuma-McQueen restored the two-goal cushion, ensuring the Blues went into half-time in full control with a deserved 3-1 lead.

We remained composed and professional throughout the second half, and on the stroke of 90 minutes substitute Sol Gordon added our fourth to make it 4-1. Kavuma-McQueen then got another deep into added time to put the gloss on the final score.

At the final whistle, we held on to the win and celebrated as Chelsea were confirmed as Under-18 Premier League national champions, bringing our young Blues’ season to a perfect close.

Outstanding start

Chelsea applied immediate pressure on the visitors from the first whistle at Stamford Bridge. The move that led to the opening goal began with Reggie Walsh driving forward through midfield before picking out Eboue down the flank. The winger then spotted Kavuma-McQueen inside the penalty area, whose powerful effort was initially saved by Ben Vickery. However, striker Ezenwata reacted quickest to the rebound and fired home to give the Blues an early lead in an exciting contest.

Chelsea doubled our advantage almost immediately and the home crowd erupted in celebration. Eboue showed great determination to win possession from a City defender before driving into the penalty area. The winger then unleashed a powerful strike that flew beyond Vickery and into the bottom corner to put the Blues 2-0 ahead.

The young Blues continued to dominate and nearly added a third soon after. Ezenwata did brilliantly to pull the ball back into the area, where right-back Lewi Richards arrived to meet it first-time. His effort looked destined for the net, but crashed against the far post, denying Chelsea another goal after an excellent attacking move.

Despite our strong start, the visitors responded well and the game quickly became an open and competitive encounter. McAidoo advanced dangerously down the wing before cutting inside and curling a superb effort towards the top corner. Goalkeeper Freddy Bernal got a hand to the strike, but could not keep it out as City pulled a goal back.

Thunderous third

We responded in perfect fashion and quickly restored our two-goal advantage. Kavuma-McQueen, who had been lively throughout, picked up the ball on the flank and drove confidently towards the penalty area. After weaving his way into space, he unleashed a fierce strike that Vickery managed to get a glove to, but the power behind the effort carried it into the back of the net to make it 3-1 to the Blues.

Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli then came close to adding a fourth, forcing Vickery into another impressive save. The chance came from a dangerous corner delivery, with the midfielder rising highest to meet it with a strong header that was somehow tipped over the crossbar.

After an entertaining first half in which we controlled large spells and looked dangerous throughout, the Blues went into the break holding a deserved 3-1 lead in front of our home supporters.

Giving our all

The second half took on a more controlled rhythm, with both sides settling into the game. Chelsea still carried an attacking threat, with the clearest chance falling once again to Kavuma-McQueen. The winger drove forward from wide, cut inside and looked to bend his effort towards goal, but his strike rolled narrowly past the far post.

Dan Hogan then turned to his bench to maintain energy and intensity, introducing Sol Gordon in place of Eboue to add fresh legs to Chelsea’s forward line.

Manchester City continued to pose a threat on the counter, with goal scorer McAidoo remaining lively. He used sharp footwork to break into the box following a quick transition, but his effort looked destined for the net until Bernal reacted sharply to produce an important save and preserve Chelsea’s advantage.

On the stroke of 90 minutes, we found our fourth goal of the evening. A brilliant pass from Nicoll-Jazuli released substitute Gordon, who showed great composure to drive into the box, round Vickery, and finish calmly, sparking huge celebrations as he made it 4-1.

There was one more goal to come, though, well beyond the end of the 10 added minutes, when Kavuma-McQueen seized on a loose ball in the middle to drive into the box and slot in his second and Chelsea's fifth goal of the evening, giving us an emphatic margin of victory at the final whistle.

With just seconds left on the clock, all that remained was for the Blues to see things out in comfort to secure a 5-1 victory and our first Under-18 Premier League national title since 2018, as well as a third piece of silverware for the Chelsea Academy this season.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Freddy Bernal; Lewi Richards (Reggie Watson 74), Dante Waite (c), Olutayo Subuloye, Calvin Diakite (Yisa Alao 63); Landon Emenalo, Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, Reggie Walsh; Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, Chizaram Ezenwata, Mathis Eboue (Sol Gordon 66)
Unused subs: Toby Bell, Jashayde Greenwood
Scorers: Ezenwata 7, Eboue 9, Kavuma-McQueen 37, 90+14 , Gordon 90
Booked: Waite 32

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Ben Vickery, Dante Headley (Charlie Courtman 74), Leke Drake, Kaden Braithwaite (c), Jacob Wain, Harrison Miles, Ryan McAidoo, Finlay Gorman (Floyd Samba h-t), Teddie Lamb, Xavier Parker (Reigan Heskey h-t), Tyrone Samba (Karim Cassim h-t)
Unused sub: Finley Grigg
Scorer: McAidoo 18
Booked: Cassim 89, Lamb 90+3