Leon Ayinde handed Town’s U21s an unexpected early lead, but Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach rallied to defeat the youngsters 3-1 in this afternoon’s friendly at the ATS Sportpark in Heimstetten.
Keeper Cieran Slicker was the only member of the squad with competitive first-team experience for the Blues, with Town switching to their second string yesterday owing to a shortage of senior personnel, much to the anger of the German side.
Following the game’s first major action, John McGreal’s team took the lead in the third minute.
Slicker moved fast to the edge of his box to clear a long ball forward in front of an attacker. His throw forward appeared easy for Die Fohlen goalkeeper Jonas Omlin, but the Swiss international misjudged it and it scuffed off the top of his head, allowing Leon Ayinde to collect it, cut back inside, and stroke into the corner of the net to give the young Blues a surprise 1-0 lead.
In the 10th minute, the Bundesliga side threatened for the first time when a long cross from the right found Tim Kleindienst beyond the far post, where the former Heidenheim striker volleyed wide.
Town’s youth were holding their own, and a minute later, striker Matty Roberts grabbed a weak Mönchengladbach pass just outside the area and fell down after blasting past Nico Elvedi into the box. However, the referee determined that the Wales U18 international had dived, which was probably correct.
In dubious circumstances, the Germans levelled on the quarter-hour mark. Gladbach took a quick free kick on the left, Kevin Stöger delivered the ball into the area, and Kleindienst rose high unmarked to nod in his first goal for the club, leaving the Town defence and Slicker on their heels as they waited for the whistle.
The goalie and his teammates ran well out of their goal to convey that point to the referee, and he was booked for their objections.
On 17, a conflict erupted between the teams as Blues midfielder Ryan Carr went in late on Stöger, who responded violently before several more players from both sides joined in. The order was restored, and Carr and Stöger were booked.
Mönchengladbach continued to gain control, and in the 26th minute, Carr scored a penalty after clipping Alassane Pléa as he turned away from him on the left side of the box. Julian Weigl blasted the penalty kick right down the middle.
As the game approached the half-hour mark, Blues right-sided wideman Nico Valentine received extensive treatment following a firm but fair challenge by Elvedi. The former England U17 call-up appeared to be in a lot of discomfort after falling awkwardly on his shoulder and was finally carried off on a stretcher. Jesse Nwabueze took over.
Chances were few and far between in the closing parts of the half, with Mönchengladbach leading, but three minutes into injury time, the ball went to Pléa just outside the box, but his strike was too close to Slicker, who stopped low to his right.
Stöger then floated a left-footed shot over the bar, and Blues midfielder Steven Turner was booked for a foul shortly after.
The referee called the half off after seven minutes of injury time, owing mostly to Valentine’s nasty-looking injury.
At moments, it had been an unusually feisty encounter for pre-season. When was the last time Town had four players booked in the first half of a friendly? The Germans may have been taken aback by the Town youngsters’ early lead, or they may have travelled for a game versus a U21s team.
However, the game gradually settled into the more typical pre-season entertainment, with Die Fohlen establishing control, despite the Blues competing effectively and seeking to force and capitalize on errors in the final third.
Town made one change at halftime, replacing Turner with Abube Onuchukwu, who joined the club from Aston Villa this summer. The Bundesliga team traded Franck Honorat, Stöger, and Joe Scally for Thomas Cvancara, Nathan Ngoumou, and Stefan Lainer.
Borussia came near for the first time after the restart on 51, with Luca Netz striking a shot that Slicker stopped ten scampered after on all fours without success, and Kleindienst putting in a second effort that Carr turned away.
Two minutes later, there was another altercation, with Harry Barbrook responding furiously to Cvancara yanking him by his neck. Nobody else got involved, and both were arrested. Soon after, Ngoumou entered from the left and fired over.
Gladbach should have extended their advantage in the 56th minute when Lainer crossed from the right to Cvancara, who struck low to Slicker’s right, but the keeper did well to save with his foot.
Within a minute, the Germans went near again, with Japanese international Ko Itakura’s effort deflecting to Pléa on the left side of the box, but the once-capped France international blasted across the face and wide when he could have scored.
Gladbach extended their advantage in the 63rd minute, again from a set piece on the left. Pléa whipped over a ball that Kleindienst stooped to nod in, with Slicker just able to assist it into the net.
A minute later, there should have been four. Ngoumou was sent in through the middle behind Town center-back Jacob Mazionis, but his shot went wide with only the advancing Slicker to beat.
The Blues made five changes in the 68th minute, replacing Carr, Jambang, Foyo, Roberts, and goalscorer Ayinde with Tommy Taylor, Oli Davis, Daniel Babb, Rio Morgan, and Emmanuel Okonowo.
Soon after the changes, Onuchukwu became the sixth Town player to be booked for a foul on Reitz.
After Borussia made three changes, with Netz and Reitz replacing Lukas Ullrich and Florian Neuhaus, Town switched goalkeeper Slicker for Woody Williamson, a Scotland U19 international who replaced a U21.
More Borussia changes came in the final minutes as the game drew to a close with the Bundesliga side comfortably in control.
Ngoumou had another chance to make it 4-1 just before the whistle, but he blasted wide.
Gladbach dominated the second half and had chances to win more decisively but failed to capitalize, while Slicker produced one really solid half in addition to several decent saves in the first.
The Town kids persevered, but were unable to create any significant opportunities following the interval.
They may be delighted with their overall performance, though, since they gave a Bundesliga team with a number of full internationals a scare early on and only conceded through set pieces, the first of which was dubious.
The Blues senior players will be in action tomorrow against Hoffenheim at the Kufstein Arena just over the border in Austria (KO 1.30pm CET, 12.30pm BST).
Town U21s: Slicker (Williamson 76), Jambang (Babb 68), H Barbrook, Mazionis (c), Ayoola, Turner (Onuchukwu 46), Valentine (Nwabueze 36), Carr (Okunowo 68), Foyo (T Taylor 68), Roberts (Morgan 68), Ayinde (O Davis 68).
Borussia: Omlin, Itakura (Ranos 81), Stöger (Ngoumou 46), Weigl (Fraulo 83), Honorat (Cvancara 46), Kleindienst (Fukuda 81), Pléa (Friedrich 81), Netz (Ullrich 76), Reitz (Neuhaus 75), Scally (Lainer 46), Elvedi (Chiarodia 65).