Ismail Monaco
Ismail Monaco
Goals from Ismail Oulad M’Hand and Louie Copley saw us end our UEFA Youth League campaign with a 2-0 win over AS Monaco under-19s at Meadow Park on Wednesday.
WHAT HAPPENED
We had the first sight of goal when Andre Harriman-Annous found Osman Kamara, who cut in from the left and shot towards the bottom left corner, but it was too soft to trouble Jules Stawiecki.
We then gave the ball away in a dangerous area and Lucas Michal fired wide of the bottom left corner from the edge of the area.
Harrison Dudziak then lost the ball and Joan Tincres’ shot met the same fate.
Against the run of play, we opened the scoring in style when Ismeal Kabia showed great pace to get down the right to beat his man and put a cross into the box. Oulad M’Hand controlled it well before turning and volleying into the bottom right corner.
Kabia provided another assist after he was found by Harrison Dudziak, setting it up to Copley who cushioned it into the bottom left corner for 2-0.
Looking for a third, Stawiecki made a good save from close range to deny Kamara after Kabia crossed for Harriman-Annous and his shot was blocked.
Tommy Setford was called into action to catch a Saimon Bouabre free-kick and our goalkeeper then made a good save down to his right after Aladji Bamba found Michal, who fired towards the bottom left corner with power.
Monaco had the first chance of the second half when Bouabre teed up Tincres who should’ve scored from close range, but curled his effort wide of the far post.
Bouabre almost pulled one back with a volley towards their bottom left corner, but Setford was again on hand to provide an excellent save.
The next one was more straightforward, jumping up to catch another effort from Bouabre before Kabia shot straight at Stawiecki on the counter-attack.
Josh Nichols drifted in from the left and looked for the top right corner with pace and power but was denied by Stawiecki, and our captain then made a crucial sliding tackle at the other end.
Bouabre continued to look like the most likely source of goals for Monaco as he curled just wide of the post from long range, before Kabai got on the end of a long ball over the top and fired over the bar.
Kamara drove towards goal and shot straight at Stawiecki. Moments later he beat his man and crossed for Theo Julienne, who struck the ball high over the North Bank.
Mayssam Benama powerfully shot wide at the other end as Monaco continued to push for a way back into the game.
Copley was unable to profit from a goalmouth scramble presenting a goalscoring opportunity and we then made our first change of the game in the 77th minute, Sebastian Ferdinand coming on for Kamara.
Benama’s free-kick hit our wall and went over the bar with less than 10 minutes remaining and his following corner was headed clear by Maldini Kacurri.
Kabia was next to make way for Dan Casey and Harriman-Annous was replaced by Will Sweet as we held onto all three points.
WHAT IT MEANS
We had already been knocked out of the competition prior to this match, but we're now 26th with six points from six games.
WHAT’S NEXT
Our under-21s are back in Premier League 2 action at Meadow Park for the visit of Sunderland at 7pm on Monday, December 16.
As for the under-18s, they’re not playing again until Saturday, January 11 (11am kick-off) when they host Tottenham Hotspur at Sobha Realty Training Centre.
LINE-UPS
Arsenal XI: Setford, Julienne, Clarke, Kacurri, Nichols, Copley, Dudziak, Ismail Oulad M’Hand, Kabia (Casey 84), Harriman-Annous (Sweet 90+1), Kamara (Ferdinand 77).
Substitutes (not used): Martin Nygaard, Forde, Oyetunde, Chapman, Ibrahim, Onyekachukwu.
Monaco XI: Stawiecki, Kiwa, Bein, Mokabakila, Toure, Cabral (Dembaga 64), Benama, Bamba (Carvalho 46), Bouabre, Tincres, Michal.
Substitutes (not used): Marty, Sitou, Sylla, Dendani, Awragh.
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