Nigeria-eligible midfielder scores first competitive goal at Old Trafford for Man Utd U18s

Manchester United are through to the next round of the prestigious FA Youth Cup after thrashing Scunthorpe United 4-2 at Old Trafford on Monday night.

The game went ahead despite a Covid-19 outbreak that led to first-team operations at the training ground in Carrington being closed.

Talented midfielder of Nigerian descent Maxi Oyedele made his FA Youth Cup debut and lasted 65 minutes on the pitch, Shola Shoretire who is age-eligible for the FA Youth Cup wasn’t involved, and schoolboy Habeeb Ogunneye didn’t crack the squad.

United led 2-1 at the break thanks to goals from Sam Mather and Alejandro Garnacho, while Harry Lewis pulled a goal back for the visitors six minutes to the end of the half.

Oyedele restored Manchester United’s two-goal advantage five minutes after the restart when he won the ball high up the pitch and found the bottom corner with a right-footed finish.

It was his second goal in all competitions for Manchester United U18s having opened his account against Wolverhampton wanderers in the Premier League Cup but his first-ever strike in a competitive match for the Red Devils at the Theatre of Dreams.

Charlie McNeill got his name on the scoresheet for 4-1 and the Iron halved the deficit again just past the hour mark.

Oyedele and his teammates will face Reading in the next round of the competition, with the fixture due to be played before January 15, 2022.