Hassan Sulaiman's squad left Staplewood Training Ground frustrated after our Under-18s Premier League fixture on the South Coast.

The match started fairly evenly but our opponents were more clinical in front of goal. They found the opener through Nicholas Oyekunle, who finished a simple cross from Sufianu Sillah Dibaga, leaving us trailing at the break.

After half-time, it was clear we had a desire to make a comeback as we displayed renewed energy. However, despite our optimistic chances in front of goal, the Saints scored again in a similar fashion to their first goal.

We continued to battle until the end and were awarded a penalty thanks to Leo Cardoso's skillful footwork, which a Southampton defender could not handle.

Ollie Harrison stepped up to calmly convert the penalty, sending the keeper the wrong way. However, it wasn’t enough to overturn the scoreline and we returned to Cobham without any points.

Quiet start

Our Under-18s fixture began steadily, with both teams assessing each other’s game plans on Saturday morning. Chelsea created the first chance, with Genesis Antwi using his speed on the wing to break into open space. He sent a powerful cross towards goal, but the ball flashed across the face of the net without finding a team-mate.

After that promising moment, the match settled into a chess-like battle, with both teams fighting for possession and seeking a breakthrough.

Cardoso made a brilliant run, weaving effortlessly upfield past Saints defenders on a quick break. He set up Frankie Runham for a shot at goal, but Aston Daley was there to remove the threat.

Another chance fell to the Blues when schoolboy Ryan Kavuma-McQueen made a sharp interception and sent a long through ball to Sol Gordon on the wing. Gordon charged into open space inside the area and hammered a shot at goal, but Oscar Abbotson managed to stop the effort, keeping the game level.

Chelsea kept pressing high in hopes of breaking the deadlock, with Cardoso and Runham linking up well. However, the Southampton defence held strong, proving difficult to break down.

Kavuma-McQueen had a bright spell, showing his speed as he sprinted into the penalty area. With tricky footwork, he danced past his Saints marker, but Max Fry blocked his close-range shot.

Falling behind

The home side eventually found the opener through Oyekunle, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner, leaving Hudson Sands no chance of saving. The move began with Tommy Dobson-Ventura spotting Sillah Dibaga on the wing. Dibaga delivered a quick low cross into the box and Oyekunle was there to tap it home, putting the Saints in front.

Southampton’s momentum grew, leading to another opportunity on goal. Oyekunle forced Sands into a sharp save, picking up the ball inside the box and flicking it toward the target. His high chip was denied by our shot-stopper, a solid save that kept us within reach.

As the break approached, Chelsea was awarded a free-kick in a promising position just outside the box. Runham stepped up, whipping a quick shot that seemed destined for the net, but the Saints keeper leapt high, pushing the effort away.. The Blues entered the interval with work to do, trailing 1-0.

Up for a fight

The second half began with higher intensity than the first. Abdulhalim Okonola-Matthews pushed forward on the wing and unleashed a powerful strike on target, but our defender Joseph Wheeler-Henry responded with speed, making a brilliant goal-line clearance by stretching his leg to block the shot.

Chelsea reacted well and soon posed a threat of our own, fighting hard for an equaliser. We nearly thought we’d found it through Runham’s low effort from distance, but the shot narrowly slipped past the post.

Our confidence continued to grow as we tested the Southampton keeper again. Calvin Diakite pushed upfield, setting up Kavuma-McQueen for a high attempt on goal, but Abbotson reacted quickly, with the shot stinging against his gloves.

Saints strike again

Just as we seemed to be building momentum, Southampton found the back of the net for the second time this afternoon. Sillah Dibaga worked his way into the box, sending in a cross that Oyekunle tapped in, beating Sands and doubling the Saints’ lead.

Our Blues substitute Kobe Barbour, recently back from injury, wasted no time making an impact. He moved up the pitch, shook off his Southampton marker and took a shot from a tight angle. Despite its power, the attempt flew just wide of the goal.

From the spot

After battling hard, Chelsea were awarded a penalty when Southampton defender Fry brought Cardoso down in the box as he headed toward goal.

Our captain for the fixture, Harrison, stepped up confidently and sent the Saints keeper the wrong way, his powerful right-footed shot finding the bottom corner.

A new burst of energy lifted us as we entered the final stages of the match and we fought until the end. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome Southampton’s advantage and we left Staplewood Training Ground empty-handed.

What's next

Chelsea will return to Under-18 Premier League action next Saturday, hosting West London rivals Fulham at Cobham with an 11am kick-off. Supporters worldwide can watch the fixture live for free on the official Chelsea app and website via the Chelsea U18 vs Fulham U18 Match Centre.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Hudson Sands; Genesis Antwi, Joseph Wheeler-Henry, Olutayo Subuloye, Calvin Diakite; Charlie Holland (Walter Nutter 78), Ollie Harrison (c), Leo Cardoso; Frankie Runham, Sol Gordon (Yahya Idrissi 78), Ryan Kavuma-McQueen (Kobe Barbour 62)
Unused subs: Toby Bell, Jacob Hall
Scorer: Harrison pen 84
Booked: Holland 60

Southampton (4-2-3-1): Oscar Abbotson, Abdulhalim Okonola-Matthews (Hansel Adjei-Afriye 68), Tommy Dobson Ventura (c), Max Fry, Broghan Sewell, Korban McMullen, Sufianu Sillah Dibaga (Oli Newman 77), Aston Daley, Nicholas Oyekunle, Jonathan Moses Sesay (James Martin 61), Joshua Pitts
Unused subs: Henry Upstell, Benjamin Sheaf
Scorer: Oyekunle 28, 61
Booked: Sewell 79, Oyekunle 88