U21 PREMIER LEAGUE CUP REPORT: LEICESTER CITY 3-4 BURNLEY

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Clarets start Group G with a bang in thriller against Foxes

2023-09-15T22:10:25.159Z

U21 PREMIER LEAGUE CUP REPORT: LEICESTER CITY 3-4 BURNLEY

Clarets start Group G with a bang in thriller against Foxes

2023-09-15T22:10:25.159Z

Clarets start Group G with a bang in thriller against Foxes

Burnley FC’s U21s side began their Premier League Cup campaign with a victory, seeing off Leicester City in a game that ended 4-3 at the LCFC Training Ground.

Wanya Marcal opened the scoring for the visitors before Joe Westley netted the leveller on the brink of half time.

Amani Richards put the Foxes back in front after the break, but Basilio Rieno Socoliche almost instantly replied with an effort from close range.

Three minutes later substitute Lewis Richardson put the Clarets in front for the first time in the game, and Westley bagged his brace to establish a two-goal advantage.

Silko Thomas scored a consolation in the final moments of the game, but Burnley had already done enough to secure the victory.

The U21s made three changes from the 3-0 win against QPR at Turf Moor, as Denis Franchi replaced Charlie Casper in goal, new signing Murray Campbell came in for Dan Sassi and Tom Tweedy started in place of Lewis Richardson.

U21 PREMIER LEAGUE CUP REPORT: LEICESTER CITY 3-4 BURNLEY - Image 1

First Half

Leicester had the first real chance of the game, as Amani Richards’ low cross found its way to Tawanda Maswanhise who dragged a shot onto the post.

And the Foxes would take the lead just after the half hour mark when Marcal found space from range and drilled a low strike towards goal that beat Franchi and flew into the bottom corner.

The Clarets almost levelled through a Joe Ashton volley as Leicester ‘keeper Arlo Doherty failed to deal with Tom Tweedy’s free-kick and the left-back’s strike was only just cleared off the line by a Foxes defender.

Doherty then made an excellent double-save to deny first Kian Le Fondre, and then Westley’s close-range rebound.

Burnley would equalise before the break with a move that started at the back as Ashton made a superb challenge to stop a Leicester attacker in their tracks, and the ball broke for Le Fondre who put the ball on a plate for Westley to tap home.

U21 PREMIER LEAGUE CUP REPORT: LEICESTER CITY 3-4 BURNLEY - Image 2

Second Half

Richards struck 11 minutes into the second half to put the hosts back in front, with a powerful strike that flew into the top corner leaving Franchi with no chance.

It wouldn’t be long before the Clarets levelled however, when Tweedy drove a low cross towards the six-yard box, that Leicester failed to clear and Socoliche was on hand to poke the ball home.

Almost instantly after Socoliche’s goal, Burnley scored again, this time through Richardson who fired the ball towards goal and a deflection took it past a wrong-footed Doherty.

Westley doubled the Clarets’ advantage ten minutes from time, as excellent work from goalscorer Richardson who broke to the byline resulted in the ball finding the feet of the forward to hammer into the top of the net.

Thomas netted a consolation for Leicester in the final moments of the game, slotting past Franchi one-on-one, but Burnley saw out the victory to seal three points in their first Group G game of the Premier League Cup.

The U21s are back in action next Tuesday – 19th September – when they welcome Sheffield Wednesday to the Lancashire FA County Ground (12pm KO), in the Professional Development League.

U21 PREMIER LEAGUE CUP REPORT: LEICESTER CITY 3-4 BURNLEY - Image 3

Leicester City: Doherty, Cover, Ali, Amartey, Nelson ©, Wilson-Brown, Richards, Raikhy, Maswanhise, Thomas, Marcal

Subs: Appiah, Young, Aluko, Hill, Pennant

Burnley: Franchi, Healy-Byrne, Ashton, Pye (Rogers ‘76), Campbell, Davies, Socoliche (Wane ‘76), Hugill (West ‘90+3), Westley, Tweedy, Le Fondre (Richardson ‘46)

Unused Subs: Moss

Goals: Marcal, ‘31, Westley, ‘45, ‘80, Richards ‘56, Socoliche ‘61, Richardson, ‘64, Thomas, ‘90+4