Chelsea’s young Blues on Thursday outclassed Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux Stadium to win their first Under 17s Premier League Cup trophy for the first time since it was introduced in its current format since 2020.
Landon Emenalo, son of former Nigeria international left-back Michael Emenalo, and three other teenagers of Nigerian descent, namely Rio Ngumoha, Saheed Olagunju and Olutayo Subuloye were part of Chelsea’s triumphant team Thursday evening.
The Blues U17s, coached by Nigerian football tactician, Hassan Sulaiman and assisted by U17 head coach James Houghton, defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 at the Molineux Stadium.
Schoolboys Ngumoha, Emenalo and Subuloye were joined in the starting lineup by first year scholar Olagunju, while Wesley Okoduwa, son of former Nigerian U23 star Emmanuel Okoduwa, started for Wolves.
Ngumoha gave Chelsea the lead in the 44th minute, bursting through the midfield before firing a shot past the goalkeeper.
Two minutes after the restart, Wolves drew level through Fraser Harper whose deflected shot couldn’t be saved by Kai Crampton.
Frankie Runham restored the lead for Chelsea in the 52nd minute, capitalizing on a mistake from the young Wanderers’ defense.
Runham would give the young Blues a two-goal cushion in the 87th minute, volleying the ball into the far corner after Landon Emenalo’s corner was headed to the edge of the box.
They got to the final by finishing top of their group, defeated Tottenham in the quarterfinal and booked their place in the final by beating Manchester City.
