MANCHESTER - Chelsea will hope to seal a fourth successive FA Youth Cup triumph at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday after holding Manchester City 1-1 in the first leg.
It was a repeat scoreline of last season's first leg between the two clubs at the Academy Stadium and Chelsea went on to claim the trophy. Both times Chelsea were ahead in the first game -- this time when Ike Ugbo lashed in a loose ball on the stroke of half-time -- but they were again pegged back with Phil Foden levelling in the 62nd minute.
The Londoners went onto win the second leg 3-1 a year ago and they will be hoping for the same again when they reconvene on Wednesday.
Indeed it was the third-successive time that the two sides have met in the final and many at City felt it was their best chance of overcoming Chelsea, who have dominated youth football in recent years.
But led by captain Mason Mount, a veteran of last season's triumph, Chelsea showed little fear and were perhaps the side who can feel slightly unhappy that they don't have an advantage to take into the second leg.
England under-19 international Mount was superb at the heart of midfield and set the tempo as the visitors dominated and pushed City back for large parts of the first half.
Callum Hudson-Odoi created the first chance with a curling effort in the eighth minute that Aro Muric tipped wide and the winger then danced through three challenges before going down under a non-existent challenge.
City, watched by first team boss Pep Guardiola high in the stands, struggled to break down the visitors with highly rated winger Jadon Sancho often up against two defenders and Foden finding himself on the periphery of the action.
Brahim Diaz finally found some space towards the end of the half and threaded two almost identical balls through to Lukas Nmecha that the City striker couldn't finish. He appeared to do everything right with his opportunity but his low shot came back off the post while he blazed the second chance high over the bar.
It prompted Chelsea back into life and Hudson-Odoi hit the post at the other end before setting up the opening goal just before half-time when after another kinking run, the ball fell for Ugbu to lash home.
Foden, who was an unused substitute in City's Champions League clash with Celtic in November, struggled to make an impact in the first half.
But he took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half and pulled City level in the 62nd minute with a driving run and low finish beyond Jared Thompson.
They pushed for a second but couldn't break down a strong Chelsea side that almost nicked the win with 10 minutes to go when Hudson-Odoi again flicked the outside of the post.