Chelsea took a sizeable step toward retaining the FA Youth Cup by defeating Manchester City 3-1 in the first leg of the final on Monday.
England under-18 forward Tammy Abraham scored twice and Dominic Solanke once in Manchester for the holders, who are in their fourth consecutive final and have won two of the last three.
Abraham, a London-born winger who has been on Chelsea's books for a decade, has now scored eight goals in their Youth Cup run and 36 in all competitions this season, while Solanke took his tally to 35 with a fine finish.
Here's Tammy Abraham striking in his superb opening goal early in the first half. #CFCU18 pic.twitter.com/QaVrV81bRL
- Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 20, 2015
Players who qualify as under-18 are eligible for the FA Youth Cup and, while City and Chelsea are two clubs who have been criticised for not bringing players through their youth system and into the first team in recent years, the Londoners have been the dominant force in the age group.
Chelsea took the lead with a seventh-minute strike from right winger Abraham, who defeated goalkeeper Christian Kjetil Haug with a rising shot from the edge of the penalty area. Abraham, who has already been on Chelsea's books for a decade, signed his first professional contract in October.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini and captain Vincent Kompany were among a crowd of 6,421 at the Academy Stadium on the club's new £200 million training complex and they were level within two minutes.
Midfielder Brandon Barker darted through to set up forward Isaac Buckley Ricketts, who slotted a low left-footed shot past goalkeeper Bradley Collins. Both Barker and Buckley Ricketts were among six Mancunians in the City starting 11.
HALF TIME: It's City u18s 1-2 Chelsea at the break. @IsaacBuckley1 netted for #mcfc but Blues trail pic.twitter.com/64ABdHQGb5
- Manchester City FC (@MCFC) April 20, 2015
Abraham restored Chelsea's advantage by hooking in a shot from eight yards after Kjetil Haug had made a close-range block from Isaiah Brown's header.
City spurned three chances to equalise in the space of five second-half minutes when Spanish midfielder Manuel Garcia, winger Aaron Nemane and captain Kean Bryan all missed the target and Chelsea made them pay when Solanke, who made his first-team debut in October's 6-0 win over Maribor, scored a late third.
City last won the FA Youth Cup in 2008, when Daniel Sturridge played in the first leg as they beat Chelsea 4-2 in the final, but are yet to triumph in it since Sheikh Mansour bought the club. Jason Wilcox's side are now the underdogs for the second leg, which will be played at Stamford Bridge on April 27.