West Bromwich Albion U21 vs Southampton U21

9th September

Albion’s Premier League Cup campaign begins on Friday night (ko 7pm) when they host Southampton.

The PL2 team are competing in Group C this term, facing off against the Saints, Swansea City and Fleetwood Town, looking to gain enough points to progress to the knockout phases of the competition.

A photo of the 2021/22 Premier League Cup trophy — The Premier League Cup trophy ahead of the 2021/22 Final

Venue

Friday night’s encounter will be the young Baggies’ first match at Solihull Moors’ ARMCO Arena.

The National League side’s stadium will be the main venue for the Under-21s fixtures this season.

A photo of Solihull Moors ARMCO Arena stadium — Albion U21s will play home matches at Solihull Moors' ARMCO Arena. Photo credit | Stacy Guiney

Pre-match thoughts

Forward Eseosa Sule is hoping to get off the mark for 2024/25 in this week’s PL Cup clash.

The Glaswegian, who joined Albion in 2022 from Scottish champions Celtic, was among the leading scorers for the club’s scholarship group last term - netting nine times in the U18 Premier League.

Sule made his senior bow under Carlos Corberán last month - stepping off the bench during the 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Fleetwood Town.

A photo of Eseosa Sule in the yellow and blue 24/25 kit playing against Fleetwood in the Carabao Cup — Sule in action against Fleetwood in the Carabao Cup

But the 18-year-old is keen to combine his first-team experiences, hard work in training, and lessons learned under PL2 boss Richard Beale into scoring regularly at 21s level, with a first goal of the campaign in Friday’s match very much on the agenda.

He said: “Two heavy defeats at the start haven’t reflected how hard we’ve been working, but these things happen. Sometimes you work hard off the pitch but they don’t always click straight away on it.

“We all had a good pre-season, I had a good pre-season and, personally, I came into this season in the best shape I’ve been in.

“The Stoke game showed that, even though we had a few first-team players with us, we have it in us to be clinical.

“The Fleetwood match was such a surreal moment for me. That’s why I came to this club - because it’s known for producing good youth players.

"I was over the moon to be involved and there was a point where I thought I wasn’t going to get on, but I came on, my dad was there to see it too, and it was a nice moment for me.

A photo of Eseosa Sule in action against Fleetwood in the 2024/25 Carabao Cup

“When I get the first goal, they usually keep coming after that, so I’m focused on getting the basics right in training, hitting the back of the net, and if I get my chance on Friday I know, because of how I’ve been working and how my mindset is at the moment, that I’ll put it away.

“It’s always good to start the competition with a win because it starts you off on a good tempo for the rest of the tournament. I feel we have a really good group of lads and everyone is hungry, and motivated to get some success in this cup."

A photo of Eseosa Sule in the 2024/25 purple training wear

How to follow

Match tickets will be available for Friday night’s Premier League Cup group game versus Southampton.

They are priced at £4 adults, and £2 for Under-17s and 65+, with supporters able to purchase tickets on the gate outside the Damson Homes Stand. Free parking at the stadium will be available on a first come, first served basis.

As usual, free entry for season ticket holders is not available for any of this year's PL Cup matches.

Alternatively, WBA TV+ subscribers will be able to watch a live stream of the game here from 6.20pm.

Supporters can keep up-to-date with Friday’s PL Cup match across the club’s social media channels, with half-time, full-time, and goal updates as they go in.

13th September

Albion's youngsters opened their 2024/25 PL Cup campaign with an exciting 2-2 draw against Southampton on Friday night.

Cole Deeming's first-half header and Souleyman Mandey's superb last-gasp strike were enough to claim a hard-fought draw in a thrilling encounter at Damson Park.

Albion had the lion's share of the early attacks, and having seen Deeming and Whitwell both come close in the opening stages, it was the former who would break the deadlock on the sixteenth minute.

Meeting a wonderful corner from the left, the midfielder powered home a superb header at the far post to hand Richard Beale's side the advantage.

He might have doubled Albion's lead direct from a corner shortly after, but having cleared the goalkeeper his delivery went inches wide of the far post with no teammate to tap home.

Mfuamba then came close, but his thunderous strike couldn't find the top corner following another Baggies set piece.

The visitors should have levelled with less than a minute of the first period remaining when Noel Buck rose highest to meet a rare Saints corner, but his downward header was wide of the post.

However, the Saints did find an equaliser in first-half added time after Princewill Ehibmatiomhan fired into the bottom corner to beat Ben Cisse.

There was drama at both ends as the second half got going, first in the Albion box when Brandon Charles took advantage of a mistake at the back only to fire over.

Then Eseosa Sule put an effort the wrong side of the post after jinking into the box from the left.

Cole Deeming celebrates scoring, in home colours.

Fenton Heard and Deeming both threatened to re-take the lead, but their efforts were each clawed away by the Saints shot-stopper as Albion looked to push on heading into the final half hour.

Whitwell was next to come close after Heard picked him out on the edge of the six yard box, but his header was straight at the goalkeeper.

The game turned on the 78th minute after the referee awarded the visitors a spot kick, which was duly converted by Ehibmatiomhan - sending Cisse the wrong way.

The Baggies pushed for a route back into the game, and a leveller came in added time when substitute Mandey curled a beautiful strike off the underside of the bar to spark wild celebrations.

There was time for more drama too, with the Baggies striking the post through Adriel Walker as they looked to find another - but there was to be no winner on the night and the game ended 2-2.

Albion: Cisse (GK), Nelson, Diomande (Parker 86), Richards (c), Shaw, Mfuamba (Iddrisa 70), Whitwell, Deeming (Mandey 86), Williams, Sule (Walker 70), Heard.

Subs not used: Wallis.

WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS BELOW

Friday 13th September 2024 - 19:00