Southampton Fans St Mary Stadium
Southampton’s U21 team reached the final of the PL2 play-offs for the first time, following a dramatic 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday evening. The young Saints led twice in the match, with Derrick Abu assisting Dom Ballard for the first-half opener and later securing victory with a stunning goal. Ademola Ola-Adebomi equalized for Palace in the 52nd minute, pushing the match into extra time. Southampton will now face Manchester City, who defeated Manchester United in the other semi-final, at the Joie Stadium for the title.
Calum McFarlane said: “We are arguably the two best teams in the country, and we go head to head. I don’t want the lads to have any fear. I’m fully confident, and they are fully confident that we can go there and implement what we do. I thought we dominated the whole game (against Crystal Palace) except for the first 15 minutes at the start of the second half. They came out really aggressive, scored a goal, and we have to survive and suffer a little bit. Other than that, it was a really good performance. We don’t dwell on mistakes. The consistency of our behaviours has been our biggest strength. I’m really proud of the lads, I thought they were a credit to the club.”
Since the start of 2025, Southampton’s Under-21s have demonstrated remarkable form, losing only two games: a PL2 fixture against Middlesbrough and their PL Cup semi-final against Brentford B. Derrick Abu’s decisive goal against Crystal Palace was a testament to the team’s resilience and skill.
McFarlane continued: “If you look at our form, since the Fulham game, when we won 5-0, we have been as good as anyone in this country. We haven’t played City this year, they are one of the teams we didn’t play during the league format, so it will be a great occasion. I know a lot of people there, having worked for them previously.”
The upcoming final against Manchester City presents a significant challenge for McFarlane, a former Man City academy coach, and his players. However, the manager’s confidence in his team’s capabilities is unwavering. The Saints will aim to capitalize on their momentum and continue their impressive run as they vie for the PL2 title.
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