Premier League 2 Match Report - Leicester City 2 Chelsea 0

Leicester City 2 Chelsea 0

Our development squad suffered defeat on the road in Premier League 2 as a goal in each half condemned us to a loss on a disappointing night in Leicestershire.
George Thomas was the scorer on both occasions, capitalising on a defensive mistake midway through the first half to break the deadlock before firing into the top corner to seal the points 15 minutes from time. The Blues were left frustrated in attack and created few clear-cut opportunities as they lost for the second time this season.
With just four days having passed since our last PL2 outing and a healthy Academy representation in our Carabao Cup victory over Nottingham Forest, Edwards made three changes to the side that came from behind to draw 2-2 with Manchester United on Monday night.
Stamford Bridge debutants Ethan Ampadu (pictured top) and Dujon Sterling returned to the starting line-up along with goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, with the visitors reverting to a 3-4-3 shape that saw Trevoh Chalobah and Josh Grant join Ampadu in defence.
Reece James switched to left wing-back with Sterling on the opposite flank, while Miro Muheim continued to lead the line up front. Isaac Christie-Davies and Luke McCormick were handed responsibilities for supporting in attack, while captain Ruben Sammut partnered Jacob Maddox in central midfield.

Leicester started with 30-year-old Yohan Benalouane and first team striker Ahmed Musa on the field, making the contest competitive and challenging in wet conditions at Holmes Park. Sam Hughes set up an easy catch for Bulka with the game’s first chance before McCormick was handed a similar opportunity, heading James’s inswinging delivery back across goal but into the arms of home keeper Daniel Iversen.
Bulka then dropped low to gather Josh Gordon’s bouncing effort as we struggled to settle into the game, the hosts attacking in a direct and physical fashion. Ampadu was well-positioned to turn Thomas’s centre from the right behind for a corner, which was swung in towards the near post and required a smart header clear from Grant.
James’s start operating on the left provided a threat when he was able to cut inside onto his dangerous right foot and the defender used the slick surface to test Iversen after 20 minutes, firing a low drive that skimmed across the turf and into the keeper’s gloves.
The Foxes took the lead midway through the first half and it was an opener gift-wrapped for them in truth. After seven goals conceded in their previous three league games, Edwards had talked in the aftermath of the United draw about cutting out mistakes and seeking clean sheets. However, Chalobah’s pass back to Ampadu came short on the sticky surface and Musa stole possession to race clear, teeing up the supporting Thomas to fire past Bulka from 15 yards.
Our response was a positive one as we started to pass with more accuracy and purpose from defence and through midfield. Christie-Davies fashioned space to line up a shot at goal after one of our better attacking moves, his effort blocked by the sliding Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall before Muheim swivelled on the loose ball and dragged just wide.

Christie-Davies stretches to steal the ball in midfield.

Chances remained at a premium for both sides for the remainder of the half, though McCormick did lead unheeded calls for a Chelsea penalty in the final minute of normal time as he fell under the challenge of Darnell Johnson.
Edwards’s half-time switch to introduce Callum Hudson-Odoi, scorer and creator against United, almost paid out instant dividends as the 16-year-old injected pace up top. He found the advancing Sterling with a forward pass and the defender teed up Maddox to strike just wide courtesy of a block from Alex Pascanu.
Leicester could have established a significant advantage 10 minutes after the restart and were denied only by a crucial, impressive save from Bulka. Musa was played through and fired a decent effort at goal that was clawed away by an instinctive flailing arm from the Polish stopper.
Long periods of play went by without much of note happening before a flowing move created an opportunity for Christie-Davies, the midfielder’s curling shot rising just over Iversen’s crossbar. Charlie Brown’s arrival in attack for the final 20 minutes was designed to unleash a late onslaught towards the Leicester goal and the striker was quickly into the action as Josh Knight bundled into the back of him to win a header. Again, the officials were unconvinced by Chelsea appeals.

Charlie Brown tussles with Leicester's Choudhury late on.

James then delivered dangerously from the right byline having been switched back to more familiar surroundings but Iversen cut out the cross towards Brown with a good strong hand. Just as the visitors were building momentum heading into the final 15 minutes, the hosts delivered a killer blow.
Advancing down the left flank, the ball was worked infield to Musa and he turned provider again for Thomas, who moved into the box before striking an unstoppable right-footed effort into the top left corner via the underside of the bar.
Maddox was denied by a last-ditch headed block from Hamza Choudhury, himself a first team debutant this week in the League Cup, and Hudson-Odoi struck off-target from a narrowing angle as the visitors drew a blank on their travels for the first time since the opening day of the season.
The next Academy action comes tomorrow morning in Wales as our Under-18s take on Swansea City in the league. There will be updates throughout on our official Twitter @chelseafc

Chelsea (3-4-3) Marcin Bulka; Trevoh Chalobah, Ethan Ampadu, Josh Grant; Dujon Sterling, Ruben Sammut (c), Jacob Maddox, Reece James; Luke McCormick (Charlie Brown 70), Miro Muheim (Callum Hudson-Odoi h/t), Isaac Christie-Davies
Unused subs Joseph Colley, James Russell, Cole Dasilva
Booked Maddox

Leicester City Daniel Iversen, Darnell Johnson, Alex Pascanu, Sam Hughes, Yohan Benalouane, Josh Knight, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Lamine Sherif 82), Hamza Choudhury (c), Ahmed Musa (Liandro Martis 90+1), George Thomas, Josh Gordon (Admiral Muskwe 73)
Unused subs Max Bramley, Layton Ndukwu
Scorer Thomas 25, 74
Booked Gordon, Benalouane, Knight

Referee David Richardson

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