Albion Under-21s get their Premier League 2 season underway with a trip to Leeds United on Sunday afternoon (ko 1pm).
Having already picked up their first win of the competitive season by beating Woking on penalties in the National League Cup on Tuesday night, the club’s academy hopefuls will look to make a positive start to their league efforts in Yorkshire.
They take on Leeds, who should be an even match for the Baggies after the two sides finished level on points in the division in 2025/26.
Venue
The game will take place at Thorp Arch Training Ground this weekend.
Pre-match thoughts
Dauda Iddrisa has enjoyed making then step-up into the U21s group across the last year.
The versatile youngster, who can play at right-back or in midfield, believes his ability to feature in multiple positions across the field can “open opportunities” within Leigh Downing’s side during the 2026/27 season.
Italy-born Iddrisa also plays for his national team at youth level, and scored at the U17 World Cup back in November, where the Azzurri managed a third-placed finish at the tournament in Qatar.
The 18-year-old hopes his international experiences can continue to aid his development back at the Baggies, starting with Sunday’s clash with Leeds.
He said: “Tuesday was a really good experience for the lads, especially because it was our first competitive game with points on the line. We competed really well, especially against a senior team, keeping a clean sheet was really good and we handled the penalty shootout well.
“We scored all of our penalties in the shootout, and Ben Cisse did exceptionally to save the ones he did too. We all did well to stand up to that challenge and play well to get two points on the board.
“The lads stood up to the challenge, they kept their cool, played their football and competed really well. It gave us a good chance and led us to the points in the shootout.
“It’s been great adapting to life in the U21s, playing with them, there’s a lot of older players. There are different experiences that I can take in, and different playing styles to get used to.
“Being able to cope with that will help to grow me as a player. It’s been a good step and I’m really enjoying it so far.
“I’m versatile and I think that’s a good thing to an extent. Of course players want to nail down a position usually, but being versatile opens up opportunities for you. So if you can do a job in midfield, you give the manager another option moving forwards. It’s a really positive thing for me and I have that experience playing in different positions.
“I’m happy to step in and play where I can to help the team, and being able to get good minutes is positive and helps me put myself out there.
“International football is a lot of fun too. Playing international football is quite different and you have to adjust to that. Since I’ve been away for that time, I’ve got used to that and I’m comfortable with the group.
“It’s about taking my international experiences back here to the Albion, which will help me improve a lot. The gaffer’s demanding a lot from us at the moment, he wants us to get forwards, get crosses into the box and to create chances to score.
“We’re all really excited for Sunday and I’m really excited to try and grab the opportunity if I do get it. I want to show the gaffer what I can do and why I deserve a place in the team.”
How to follow
There will be no live coverage of Sunday’s PL2 encounter owing to Albion’s first-team match on the same day.
A match report will be available on the club website after the fixture.
