Our under-18s' impressive undefeated U18 Premier League South record unfortunately came to an end when they were beaten by West Bromwich Albion 3-2 on Saturday, October 18.
Brando Bailey-Joseph opened the scoring inside the initial phase of the match, after he was found alone inside our opponents' box and didn't hesitate to finish the gifted opportunity.
From the kick-off, Harry French went up the other end and got the Baggies back into the game after a miscommunication in defence.
We retook the lead through Teshaun Murisa, who picked a stray ball and sent the 'keeper the wrong way.
Adam Okororudu equalised for the West Midlands outfit through another quick response and capitalised on further errors at the back to level the game 2-2 before half-time.
Albion took the lead with 20 minutes left to play when French did well to anticipate a defensive slip and tap home from six yards, which was enough to claim victory for West Brom at the Sobha Reality Training Centre.
What Happened
-------------
We got off to the perfect start when Ceadach O'Neill broke free of the Baggies' defence to square the ball to an unmarked Bailey-Joseph, who had time to set himself before he curled his effort past Maxwell Moses and take the lead inside the first minute.
A mistake at the back allowed the visitors an instant route back into the game just five minutes later, as French pounced on a loose ball between Khari Ranson and Theo Julienne to level the tie.
In an attempt to regain the advantage, Josiah King whipped an inviting ball across Moses' box, where Kyran Thompson rose well to meet but was unable to direct his header on target.
We did retake the lead just before the half-hour mark, however, when Maalik Hashi had his effort blocked on the edge of the West Brom box, but Murisa was there to pick up the seconds and pull the trigger with a deflection to wrong-foot the keeper.
We were pegged back again just moments later. Another scramble at the back resulted in a Remer McNeil's blocked shot, but the ball then fell to Okororudu, who fired home from close range.
The Black Country side almost took the lead for the first time when French was played in behind our backline to shoot goalbound, but his effort was superbly tipped onto the post by Ranson to keep the game at 2-2.
Albion went close again just before the interval, a counter-attack spearhead by Ryan Colesby saw his attempt ricochet off Ranson's upright and over.
After the break, O'Neill looked the sharpest out of the traps and weaved his way through the West Brom defence to unleash a powerful hit that was blocked by Moses, who did well to make himself big.
It was then Ranson's turn to provide the goalkeeping heroics to deny Dauda Amihere's fierce half-volleyed effort, for which he temporarily needed treatment to recover from the impact. After he initially looked fit to continue, a change was ultimately required, and it was Remigiusz Lupinski's turn to occupy between the sticks.
Lupinski was called into immediate action to deny McNeil's inswinger free-kick and parry clear over the bar. He was then tested again by French, who shot from distance, but our no.1 got his angles right to watch the ball soar the wrong side of his post.
Albion kept knocking, however, and this time got their reward and the lead for the first time in the game, as French forced Samuel Onyekachukwu into a slip to tap into an empty net and double his tally.
In the closing minutes, substitute Samuel Chapman denied the striker his hat-trick after he tracked back well to stop French from a one-on-one chance with Lupinski, but West Brom had already done enough to secure all points.
What’s Next
-----------
Our under-18s continue their U18 Premier League South campaign when they travel to Fulham on Saturday, October 25.
Kick-off at Motspur Park is at 11am (UK time).
TEAM NEWS
---------
**Arsenal XI:** Ranson (Lupinski 59), King (Chapman 71), Ogunnaike, Onyekachukwu (Tahou 80), Hamill, Murisa, O'Neill, Julienne, Thompson (Marciniak 59), Hashi, Bailey-Joseph (Phillips 71).
**West Brom XI:** Moses, Perkins, Letlat (Round 63), Blackshields, Abudu, Shaw, McNeil, Amihere, Okorodudu (Dexter 90), Colesby, French.
**Subs:** Jackson, Lines, Sankoh.
Copyright 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.