FA Youth Cup | Cardiff City 1-2 Fulham

Cardiff City suffered stoppage time heartbreak, as Fulham defeated them 2-1 in the Third Round of the FA Youth Cup.

City had led through Trey George, but second half goals from Joshua King and Callum Osmond sealed a late win for the Premier League side.

From the off, Fulham put the Bluebirds under the cosh. A dangerous free kick was cleared off the line before Luke Armstrong had to be alert to stop Arron Loupalo-Bi’s powerful shot.

After weathering the early storm, City themselves set off and got at the Fulham defence. Troy Perrett came extremely close, but his deflected effort looped narrowly over the crossbar. Soon after and the Cottagers were back on the front foot, but once again, Armstrong made sure to keep the scores level, making a save from Callum Osmond’s header.

And how Tom Hutton’s side would benefit from their defensive resolve, as they took the lead. Some good wing work from Tanatswa Nyakuhwa allowed him to get a cross into a dangerous area, and there to convert from close range was Trey George, who ran off in wild celebration with his teammates.

But before the half came to a close, Fulham had a chance to draw level, after the referee adjudged a City player pulled the shirt of an attacker. Up stepped Tom Olyott, but Armstrong dived to make a fine save, as he and the Bluebirds went into the break ahead.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued into the early stages of the second half. Nyakuhwa had a strike from long range that went over the bar, while Armstrong once again was making the difference at the other end of the pitch, tipping Lemar Gordon’s curler onto the crossbar.

However, Armstrong’s luck did run out midway through the second half, as Fulham’s skipper Joshua King converted from close range.

The introduction of Japhet Matondo with quarter of an hour remaining injected energy to this City side. His electric pace down the wing caused Fulham all sorts of problems, but no one in a blue shirt could convert from his deliveries.

As the Bluebirds pushed for a winner in stoppage time, they were dealt the ultimate sucker punch. The West Londoners managed to break from a City corner, with Osmond successfully slotting the ball underneath Armstrong to send Fulham through.

Cardiff City: Armstrong, Spiers, Giles, Edwards, Lawlor, Barton, Twose, Mafico, George, Perrett (Matondo 75’), Nyakuhwa ©. Subs not used: Thomas, Higgs, Phillips, Talbot, Ola, Kpakio.

Fulham: Kaiser, De Jesus, Slade, Amissah (Nsasi 58’), Esenga, Nwoko, Olyott, King ©, Loupalo-Bi, Osmond, Gordon. Subs not used: Varney, Quashie, White, Ali-Wahiid, Tabares.