Chizaram Ezenwata's impressive six-game scoring streak for Chelsea’s youth team came to an end on Saturday as the young Blues secured a 2-1 victory over West Ham United in an U18 Premier League match at the Little Heath Sports Ground on Saturday.

Ezenwata received an invitation to a Flying Eagles training camp ahead of the 2025 Fifa U20 World Cup, but club commitments prevented him from travelling to Abuja.

The 17-year-old later represented the Young Lions at the Fifa U17 World Cup, where he enhanced his growing reputation by scoring a hat-trick in England’s emphatic 8-1 win over Haiti.

The forward was involved throughout the contest against West Ham but was unable to extend his prolific run in front of goal as Chelsea ground out a hard-fought win.

Prior to the London derby, he had found the net in successive matches against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion, West Brom and Tottenham Hotspur.

Ezenwata missed the goalless draw with Norwich City on November 8 due to his participation with England’s U17s in Qatar.

Several other teenagers of Nigerian descent featured in Saturday’s match, including West Ham’s Lanre Awesu, Emmanuel Fejokwu, Tyrone Omotoye, Chukwuemeka Obi, Andre Dike and Majid Balogun, as well as Chelsea’s Tayo Subuloye.

First-half goals from Subuloye and Watson handed Chelsea a two-goal cushion at the interval, before Joel Kerr reduced the deficit in the 74th minute.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel