Arsenal U18s made it through to the final of the FA Youth Cup with a dramatic 2-1 victory over their Manchester City counterparts at Emirates Stadium tonight.
Schoolboy midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly scored with an impressive header towards the end of extra-time to send Arsenal through to the final, where they will face either West Ham or Southampton.
City played the majority of the game with ten men after Lakyle Samuel was sent off early on, with Arsenal proceeding to take the lead through Michal Rosiak’s free-kick.
Rosiak has been hugely impressive during this Youth Cup run, with the right-back scoring in four of Arsenal’s five games in the competition.
City got an equaliser through Justin Oboavwoduo to send the game to extra-time, but Arsenal ultimately prevailed.
Jack Wilshere’s side have shown incredible fighting spirit in this competition this season and those qualities were very much in evidence again tonight.
Whatever circumstances the young Gunners find themselves in, they simply refuse to be beaten and they will now be looking to become the first Arsenal side to win this competition since the team of 2009, which included Wilshere.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
Something is cooking at the Arsenal, and outsiders don’t seem to have a clue or pay attention…Arsenal Women into the final of WCL, U18s in the final of the youth cup and the Men’s team are gumming for the title… Good times indeed…. However this season ends, I am proud of the work Mikel, Edu and Per have put in …
Something is indeed cooking at the Arsenal. But a slight correction…Arsenal Women are ‘only’ into the semi-finals of the Champions League, not the final itself. Carry on.
And .. ahem…SuperJack
Gunning* 🤦🏾♂️
superb pic selection…jack lookin hella proud! love to see!
Kudos to the team, but they must work on their finishing – that includes their decision making in the final third – going forward. The City team were a man and a goal down from the 7th minute; incredibly, got an equaliser in the second half, and held on till virtually the last kick of extra time before conceding to a keeper error. It was a tame header the City keeper would save easily if he stayed on his line. If that had not gone in, penalty shoot out – and that could have gone either way. This is not… Read more »
Lewis- Skelly and Cizier Duberry were bright. Nwaneri was very disappointing.
Spot on Man Manny, I watched the game yesterday and I have to say I was a bit disappointed. We were a man up for over 100 mins and City looked like the better. I don’t know if it was nerves but we hardly kept the ball and time and again made the wrong decisions with the passes. It was hugely frustrating. I know people will read this and call me/us kill joy but this is the whole point of youth football… learning… I think there’s a lot to learn about yesterday. Too many players keen to show off their… Read more »
Was watching the game. It was nerve wrecking. But it was a joy to see these young men push on till the end. One thing I do agree with the commentator is that youth cup football ought not to go to extra time.
With their bodies still developing I wonder if it doesn’t damage them.
Good use of crystal ball by JorgeBird in his article of yesterday morning – “Lewis-Skelly could have key part to play in FA Youth Cup clash”.
Got this weeks lottery numbers Jorge?
“Refuse to be beaten” – love it – what a great team spirit
Jack to coach the u21s soon, no doubt
Even better if he can go there having won the FA Cup
sometimes the man who plants the tree knows he wont be around to eat the fruit, but he still works his heart out to plant the best garden he can.
Merci Arsene