Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Under-21s suffer late heartbreak in Papa John's Trophy defeat against Sheffield United F.C.
Hosts battle valiantly but succumb to a 2-1 home defeat
Wolves U21s fall to a late goal after a hard-fought contest
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Under-21 side saw their run in the Papa John's Trophy come to an end after a heartbreaking 2-1 home defeat to Sheffield United's Under-21 team on Tuesday night.
Despite a valiant effort from the hosts, the visitors emerged victorious thanks to a late strike from substitute Will Osula.
Wolves had taken the lead in the 22nd minute through Chem Campbell's composed finish but were pegged back just before half-time by a stunning long-range effort from United's Kyron Gordon.
The second half was a closely contested affair, but the decisive moment came in the 89th minute when Osula pounced on a loose ball in the Wolves area and fired home a clinical winner.
The defeat will come as a disappointment to Wolves, who had been hoping to progress to the knockout stages of the competition for the first time since 2019.
However, they can take heart from a spirited performance against a strong Sheffield United side.
Wolves will now turn their attention back to the Premier League Cup, where they will face Arsenal Under-21s at Molineux on Monday night.
Match Highlights
- Wolverhampton Wanderers Under-21s 1-2 Sheffield United Under-21s
- Goals: Campbell (22'), Gordon (44'), Osula (89')
- Venue: Molineux Stadium
Reaction
Wolves Under-21s coach James Collins: "I'm very proud of the boys. They gave everything tonight and played some really good stuff at times.
"We're disappointed not to have won, but Sheffield United are a good side and they showed their quality in the end.
"We'll learn from this and come back stronger next time."
Sheffield United Under-21s coach Neil Thompson: "I'm delighted with the win. It was a tough game but we showed great character to come back from behind.
"We knew that Wolves were a good side and we had to be at our best tonight.
"I'm pleased with the performance of the players and I think we deserved to win."
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