Against a Manchester United side that had started their U18 Premier League campaign with eleven straight wins, scoring 47 goals and conceding just four, Lauris Coggin’s U18s showed no fear. Despite falling behind early and weathering early Manchester United pressure, the young Hammers fought back, turning the game around with goals from Josh Ajala and Gabriel Caliste. And while the visitors found an equaliser, West Ham dug deep, battling through extra-time before holding their nerve in a dramatic penalty shootout to knock out the defending champions and book their place in the Premier League Cup semi-finals.
For Josh Ajala, who has scored in each of the U21s’ last four wins, it always felt like a matter of time before he made his mark in his return to the U18s. Having sent the young Hammers into the knockout stages with a brace in a 3-1 win over Southampton, he stepped up once again with a fine finish to draw his side level just before half-time.
“It was a tough game, playing 120 minutes,” he admitted. “We had to dig deep. Manchester United had a lot of the ball, so there was a lot of defending to do. That winning feeling at the end meant so much. The togetherness throughout the 120 minutes was amazing.
“I played over an hour on Friday, so towards the end of today’s game, I started cramping up. My calves were dead, but I had to keep going for the team. I had to push through and stay on the pitch because I knew penalties were coming. I wanted to be there, to take a penalty and help us get through to the next round.
“Going into the shootout, we were confident. We believed in our takers, and we trusted Lanre [Awesu], he’s a great penalty saver. Even after we missed our first penalty, I didn’t feel like they were going to win. We stayed calm, stuck together, and got the job done.”
Carrying much of the goalscoring responsibility for the U18s this season with 13 goals in all competitions, Elisha Sowunmi turned provider in this quarter-final clash, setting up both Ajala and Caliste for their goals.
“Going through to the semis is such a great feeling!” he exclaimed. “Everyone was buzzing in the changing rooms. In the second half, we didn’t have the ball as much as we wanted, but when we did, we were dangerous; especially with Andre [Dike] and Chinaza [Nwosu] coming on with fresh legs."
Reflecting on the game as a whole, he continued: “I thought we were really dominant towards the end of the first half. We took that momentum into the dressing room at half-time and came out all guns blazing. Gabs [Caliste] got his goal, and we were excellent all around.
“Everyone dug deep today. Having some of the boys back from the U21s gave us a big boost. It was a great result, and we can’t wait for the semi-finals!”
Although the headlines often go to the goalscorers, the game’s defining moment arguably came at the other end of the pitch, where Ezra Mayers produced a stunning recovery run and last-ditch tackle to deny a near-certain winner. With 87 minutes on the clock and the scores level, Manchester United broke from a West Ham corner, creating a two-on-one counter against goalkeeper Lanre Awesu. Just as Jayce Fitzgerald looked set to slot home, Mayers charged back out of nowhere, timing his challenge to perfection to steal the ball away.
“I saw the situation building from our corner,” he recalled. “I thought they might get through, and when they did, I just sprinted back. I said to myself, ‘I’m catching him.’ When I saw he took a poor touch, that was my moment to swoop in and take the ball!”
Ezra says no way through 🚫 pic.twitter.com/IuPiN4o9ti
— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 4, 2025
A regular starter for Mark Robson’s U21s, Mayers spoke about the positive feeling of returning to the U18s for the Premier League Cup tie.
“I trained with them on Monday, and the vibes were amazing. Coming back to your friends and teammates, it just felt great. Even though I played 90 minutes on Friday, I actually felt fine today. My calf tightened up a bit, but apart from that, I was good! Playing lots of games suits me, so I can’t complain!”
Reflecting on the U18s’ biggest result of the season, he added: “It means everything. We’ve been together as a group for so long with Lauris [Coggin]. Our results haven’t always reflected our hard work in competitions, so I’m really proud of everyone for getting us through to the semi-finals.”
West Ham will take their place in the semi-finals alongside Liverpool, who won 3-2 at Chelsea in their quarter-final, and the winners of the outstanding last-eight ties between Derby County and Fulham, and Reading and Everton, which will be played on 12 and 14 February respectively.
