U21S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 2-3 RCD ESPANYOL

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Useful test for young Clarets

2026-08-25T11:00+01:00

U21S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 2-3 RCD ESPANYOL

Useful test for young Clarets

2026-08-25T11:00+01:00

Burnley U21s hosted RCD Espanyol’s U19s in sunny conditions more familiar to the Catalonian side on Tuesday afternoon, with an action-packed affair finishing 3-2 to the visitors.

Ellis Clark and Zach Johnson were on target for Burnley, but their strikes weren’t enough to prevent defeat.

Andy Farrell’s team came into it on the back of Friday night’s Premier League 2 opener and there were changes to the starting XI, with Jack Robinson keeping goal and a trialist starting in defence.

Last week’s scorers at Fulham – Kian McMahon-Brown, Brandon Pouani, and Clark – all started.

Robinson produced a smart stop with his legs to deny Joselete early doors and Johnson later worked Nicola Garcia at the other end before two goals in seven first-half minutes gave Espanyol control.

Positive pressing gave Aaron Gasent a finish from close range, and the striker then powered home a header after good skill from Pol Gomez.

The young Clarets didn’t let that get them down, though, and it was 2-1 on the half hour when Clark fired in off the left-hand post from 19 yards.

With the rest of the first half passing without much incident of note, Farrell’s first two changes saw the trialist and McMahon-Brown make way for Troy Savage and Blayz Borgesson respectively.

However, the Spaniards extended their lead in fortuitous circumstances as Jean Valdes’ cross squeezed its way past Robinson with the help of a deflection.

The game now started to develop a real bite as Diandro Fletchman and Michael Stanley replaced Cameron Scott and Emmanuel Airoboma with roughly half an hour to play.

Further switches saw U17s Archie Lorimer and Glen Ilunga enter the fray and it was 3-2 when Johnson picked out the bottom right corner from the penalty spot after King was fouled.

Burnley pushed forward in search of the sixth goal of the day and it was Lorimer who came closest, but the young forward couldn’t guide his header on target.

Robinson stood tall at the other end too, producing a reactionary stop to thwart Nil Lopez as the clock hit 90.

The team are next in action against their Reading counterparts on Friday 28th August. Kick-off at the County Ground in Leyland is 7pm, and supporters can follow the action in person or online.

Burnley: Robinson, King, Scott (Fletchman 62), Trialist (Savage 50), Airoboma (Stanley 62), Campbell, Johnson, Clark (Lorimer 70), McMahon-Brown (Borgesson 50), Zhang (Ilunga 70), Pouani

Goals: Gasent 20’, 27’, Clark 30’, Valdes 55’, Johnson 74’