Phil Foden repeated Aaron Nemane’s act in last year’s FA Cup Youth final opening leg here by scoring after the hour to earn Manchester City a draw before the return at Chelsea next week. The No10’s confident finish will have impressed the watching Pep Guardiola and Vincent Kompany before City’s attempt to make it third time lucky after losing the previous two finals against Chelsea.

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The south-west London side have claimed the cup in four of the last five years and City’s head coach, Lee Carsley, said: “We want to be the team to put a halt to their domination. I believe in this team to do that.” Despite those two final defeats City defeated Chelsea 2-0 in a league meeting this month, a result Morris referenced in the build-up to this match.

There was a cat-and-mouse opening as the sides gradually settled. Carsley sent his teenagers out in Guardiola’s 4-3-3 and Jody Morris had his in Antonio Conte’s favoured 3-4-3.

A first warning to the visitors came when the wing Jadon Sancho skipped in-field from the left, fed Foden and the midfielder fizzed an effort to Jared Thompson’s right in the Chelsea goal. The visitors’ riposte impressed: Mason Mount ran through the defence with a dribble that took him near the Swiss keeper Aro Muric’s goalline but the midfielder ran out of room.

Mount ran this period of the contest as he unloaded two give-and-gos that again unlocked City. The second featured him racing into the area for a return from Callum Hudson-Odoi but the wide man hit a defender. Next, Sancho played in Lukas Nmecha but City’s No9 dawdled and the threat fizzled out.

As the break neared Brahim Díaz fashioned a ball into Nmecha but his shot banged off Thompson’s right post. Moments later Nmecha scooted over when he required composure and at the other end Hudson-Odoi struck Muric’s left upright. Then Ike Ugbo did score, taking the ball from Hudson-Odoi and blasting home.

This match had brightened considerably as now Díaz skated forward, passed to Sancho, but steered wide.

City’s second half began with Díaz prompting shouts for a penalty as he was buffeted about while showing strength in the area. The pace was quick. Mount fired at Muric and was sharp enough to go for the rebound, though City scrambled away.

After Foden’s equaliser Díaz and Mount continued to be the eye-catching performers. Díaz was always willing to charge at Chelsea while the latter offered an edge around the area. Now they will do it all again at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday.