Report: Leicester City U23s 1 Swans U23s 0

Swansea City Under-23s’ Premier League 2 season began with a 1-0 defeat against Leicester City.

Layton Ndukwu’s fifth-minute strike proved to be the winning goal as, despite threatening the Leicester goal after the break, the young Swans were just unable to find a way back into the contest.

The hosts began brightly in the battle between the sides that finished third and fourth in Premier League 2 last season.

They made their superiority count after just five minutes when George Byers was caught in possession outside his own penalty area and, following a neat exchange of passes, Ndukwu drilled low into the bottom corner.

The Swans hit back with Ryan Blair and Byers sending shots over the crossbar, while Liam Cullen’s dipping effort clipped the top of the upright.

Midway through the second half, Byers had a goalbound header tipped over the crossbar by Viktor Johansson, who also showed smart reflexes to save a powerful Courtney Baker-Richardson strike six minutes later.

At the other end, Ndukwu and substitute Raul Uche Rubio went close to wrapping up the points, but the former’s early effort proved to be the difference between the sides.

Leicester U23s: Viktor Johansson, Josh Knight, Callum Elder, Lamine Kaba Sherif, Filip Benkovic, Darnell Johnson (capt), Khanya Leshabela (Alex Pascanu, 67), Hamza Choudhury, Ryan Loft (Calvin Ughelumba, 75), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Raul Uche Rubio, 44), Layton Ndukwu.

Subs not used: Jakob Stolarczk, Connor Tee.

Swans U23s: Steven Benda, Tyler Reid, Aaron Lewis, Ryan Blair, Cian Harries (capt) (Keston Davies, ht), Brandon Cooper, Liam Cullen, Adnan Maric, Courtney Baker-Richardson (Kees De Boer, 87), George Byers, Oli Cooper (Marco Dulca, 57).

Subs not used: Joe Lewis, Trialist.

Photo credit: LCFC/Plumb Images