Despite Chelsea being the brighter side in the first half, with multiple scoring opportunities, Will Lankshear gave Spurs the lead around the quarter of an hour mark at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Chelsea substitute Deivid Washington quickly made an impact, finding an equaliser in the second period through a brilliant team effort, however, Spurs scored the crucial winner in the fourth minute of injury-time through Nile John.

Blues Under-21 head coach Mark Robinson wanted the same positive reaction his side showed against Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the play-offs, and the opening 45 minutes were played at an intense pace.

Chelsea came out in full force with immediate pressure that granted them the first sight of goal after just five minutes. Josh Acheampong worked his way into the area and drilled a low attempt, which Luca Gunter did well to deny the effort.

Despite being the more dominant side, it was Tottenham who found the opener with 15 minutes on the clock. Yago De Santiago Alonso charged down the pitch and made an accurate pin-point cross to Lankshear, who tapped in from close range.

Chelsea reacted well and continued to press high, though. Kaiden Wilson utilised the wing and weaved his way into open space within the area, but his effort lacked enough power to beat the Spurs keeper from a tight angle.

Searching for a response

The Blues looked incredibly dangerous, and a flurry of chances came their way, putting the Spurs keeper under pressure. The first came from Diego Moreira, who displayed his rapid pace to lose his defender, but his curled effort was just wide of the far post.

Tyrique George tried his luck as he squeezed through a flock of Tottenham defenders into open space, but his shot narrowly missed the target.

Chelsea had another opportunity when Jimmy-Jay Morgan perfectly cut the ball back to Jimi Tauriainen, who was unmarked six yards out, only for his strike to be lifted over the crossbar.

The momentum continued as Tauriainen took another shot at goal almost immediately, but again, his strike skimmed over the bar.

Moments later, Chelsea was forced to defend as Maeson King whipped in a powerful ball from range, but Wilson managed to head away the attempt out of danger.

Spurs started the second period brightly, and Eddie Beach was quickly called into action when De Santiago Alonso hammered a shot on target, but the keeper made an impressive block to guard his line.

Chelsea's urgent tempo continued. Zak Sturge nearly pulled a goal back as he floated in a deadly cross that flew past Spurs defenders, but Gunter managed to catch the ball.

Bouncing back

Robinson turned to his bench in hopes of finding a deserved equaliser. The head coach made a quadruple substitution when he introduced Richard Olise, Reiss Denny, Washington and Donnell McNeilly, to replace Acheampong, Zain Silcott-Duberry, Morgan and Tauriainen.

Shortly after the switch-up, Chelsea finally found a breakthrough with a great team effort initiated by Kiano Dyer. The midfielder found Sturge in the perfect position, where he cut the ball back to Washington, whose right-footed tap-in found the bottom corner. It was a well-deserved goal.

Washington almost found the back of the net again seconds later. Sturge delivered a brilliant squared ball to the striker and he managed to hit a low strike at goal, only to see the ball rattle against the woodwork.

Late heartbreak

As the game headed into stoppage time, things intensified dramatically. With moments left on the clock, it turned into a gutting ending for Chelsea. Spurs found their last-minute winner through John’s long-range strike that found the bottom corner past Beach’s reach.

A glimpse of hope came when Moreira received the ball at the edge of the box and smashed a shot on target but somehow Gunter managed to make the save.

Despite Chelsea fighting until the end and giving their all to find another breakthrough, the match ended in defeat for the Blues, bringing their season to an end.

The teams

Tottenham Hotspur: Luca Gunter, Max Robson (Maeson King 9), Yusuf Akhamrich (Tyrell Ashcroft 81), Dante Cassanova, Ashley Phillips, George Abbott ©, Jude Soonsup-Bell (Nile John 73), Tyrese Hall, Will Lankshear (Damola Ajayi 66), Alfie Devine, Yago De Santiago Alonso
Unused subs: Josh Keeley
Goals: Will Lankshear 15, Nile John 90+4
Bookings: Alfie Devine 30, Yago De Santiago Alonso 45

Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Eddie Beach; Brodi Hughes, Kaiden Wilson (Somto Boniface 90+5), Zak Sturge ©; Josh Acheampong (Richard Olise 66), Kiano Dyer, Zain Silcott-Duberry (Donnell McNeilly 66), Jimi Tauriainen (Reiss Denny 66); Jimmy-Jay Morgan (Deivid Washington 66), Diego Moreira; Tyrique George
Goals: Deivid Washington76
Bookings: Diego Moreira 90+1