Report by Mohammad Hassan at Joie Stadium
(View Mohammad’s Portfolio and Substack)
It turned into a chastening night for the Arsenal boys as Manchester City ran out 4–1 winners at Joie and sailed through to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup.
City set the tone in the opening moments with a ball-dominant start, forcing Arsenal to sit in and repel their forays forward. The young Gunners struggled to gain a footing in the game and, in the 18th minute, Arsenal captain Callan Hamil saved an almost certain goal, diving at the feet of Tyrone Samba in the six-yard box, who thought he was slotting home with goalkeeper Jack Porter out of position. Samba went close again almost instantly with a shot from the edge of the box that Porter tipped around the post for a corner.
Arsenal’s first meaningful attack came through Brando Bailey-Joseph, foraging down the right wing with his low cross cleared out to Teshaun Murisa, whose attempt from the edge of the box went wide.
Bailey-Joseph was Arsenal’s brightest spark in the first half as he went down the right again, flying past City captain Kaden Braithwaite in the 20th minute, with his lofted cross causing a brief moment of panic in the City back line.
City opened the scoring through a well-struck free-kick which beat Porter convincingly. It brought a lead that City deserved.
Arsenal had a penalty claim turned away as Theo Julienne was clattered by the City keeper after looping a header towards goal that was cleared off the line. The referee deemed it a fair challenge and play went on following a brief interval to treat Julienne.
City doubled their lead in the 37th minute through Tyrone Samba, who followed up after an initial effort from his brother Floyd Samba cannoned back off the post. City players were buoyant and snappy in their passing, while Arsenal seemed unsure of themselves as the game threatened to run away from them.
A third followed shortly after when City played through Arsenal in a true team goal that was finished by Dunbar-McDonald, slaloming into the box to finish past Porter. Arsenal badly needed half-time at this stage, but a reprieve wasn’t to be found as Tyrone Samba added his second of the night and City’s fourth.
Arsenal won a penalty right on the stroke of half-time when their single point of attacking reference for the half, Bailey-Joseph, pounced on a loose ball and drew contact from City keeper Max Hudson. Caedach O’Neill stepped up to dispatch the penalty high to the left-hand side of the net to get Arsenal on the scoreboard.
As the second half started, City continued to threaten in the early exchanges. Arsenal continually struggled to play out and found themselves turning back to reset and try again.
In the 55th minute, Bailey-Joseph sent a flashing cross into the box which nobody was able to get on the end of, offering a glimpse of renewed attacking intent.
Floyd Samba had City’s first meaningful attempt of the half with a cross-goal effort that was pushed out for a corner.
Around halfway through the half, Arsenal introduced the highly rated Andre Harriman-Annous, who brought fresh impetus in the attacking third but was unable to sway the overall flow of the game. City forward Reigan Heskey drew a good save from Porter in the 72nd minute.
Despite the mountain left to climb from the first half, Arsenal didn’t let their heads drop and were rewarded with a second goal through Bailey-Joseph, who was alive to a loose ball in the box following a corner and slotted home to reduce the deficit in the 85th minute.
Unfortunately for them, the three-goal buffer was reinstated as City substitute Xavier Parker saw his effort from the left side of the Arsenal box find the far bottom corner in stoppage time.
Soon after, the referee brought proceedings to a close. For Arsenal, this night won’t live long in the memory as City ended their cup run in resounding fashion. The Gunners will regroup and prepare for Southampton in the U18s Premier League (South), while Manchester City can look forward to a trip to Stamford Bridge in the next round to face Chelsea.