Chelsea youngsters win on penalties to reach Uefa Youth League final
Goalkeeper Jamie Cumming was the hero as Chelsea’s Under-19 side beat Porto 5-4 on penalties to reach another Uefa Youth League final.
Cumming (pictured) saved three spot-kicks in the shootout after captain Josh Grant had equalised in the final stages of a 2-2 draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
Grant pounced to score after Porto were unable to clear a corner in a dramatic end to an exciting semi-final.
Chelsea had taken the lead on the half-hour mark courtesy of Daishawn Redan, who was on hand to tap in after Luke McCormick’s shot had been parried.
Porto levelled shortly before half-time through Diogo Queiros’ header and in the second half Harvey St-Clair hit the post and Callum Hudson-Odoi and Conor Gallagher also went close for Chelsea before Joao Mario put Porto in front with 10 minutes remaining.
After Grant rescued Chelsea, Cumming saved Porto’s second penalty, while Hudson-Odoi, St-Clair and McCormick all converted.
However, Charlie Brown and Reece James both saw their kicks saved, leaving the young Blues on the brink of defeat.
But Cumming saved again at 3-3 to take the shootout to sudden death and, after Trevoh Chalobah and Juan Castillo netted, Cumming produced another stop to take his team through.
