Emerson Nwaneri celebrates scoring against AFC Wimbledon
Arsenal's Under-21s showed the first-team how to see off EFL opposition on the same night as their Carabao Cup exit.
The Gunners were dumped out on penalties in the fourth round on Tuesday as they lost to League Two outfit Fleetwood Town.
Arsenal U21 players celebrate beating AFC Wimbledon3
Arsenal Under-21s saw off League One opposition whilst the first-team lost to Fleetwood
Mikel Arteta's side were beaten 5-3 on spot-kicks following a 1-1 draw at Highbury Stadium, with Max Dowman sent off late on.
However, his fellow Arsenal youngsters enjoyed a more positive outcome against a side ranked 25 places above Fleetwood in the EFL pyramid.
Arsenal U21s beat EFL opponents
David Horseman's Under-21s came from behind to beat AFC Wimbledon 2-1 in the EFL Trophy group stage.
The Dons are currently 17th in League One, whilst Fleetwood sit 18th in the League Two table.
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Their victory at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, which kicked off at 6pm, is enough to see Arsenal into the second round.
Goals from Evan Mooney and Emerson Nwaneri, younger brother of Borussia Dortmund loanee Ethan, secured all three points for the Gunners.
Their hosts, who made nine changes from Saturday's 1-1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers, had taken a second half lead through Callum Maycock.
The Arsenal squad which faced the Dons featured two players who have featured for the first-team this season.
Midfielders Theo Julienne and Ife Ibrahim, both 18, previously came off the bench in the Carabao Cup third round win over Ipswich Town last month.
Meanwhile, six members of Arteta's squad against Fleetwood have played for the Under-21s this season.
Emerson Nwaneri scores for Arsenal U21 against AFC Wimbledon3
Nwaneri's second half strike completed a comeback win for the young Gunners
Dowman was joined in the starting line-up by Marli Salmon and 18-year-old debutant Ceadach O'Neill.
Fellow teenagers Marcell Washington, Maalik Hashi and Andre Harriman-Annous were all unused substitutes, though.
Arsenal in the EFL Trophy
Arsenal's youngsters are one of 16 invited Under-21 sides in this season's EFL Trophy.
They represent Category One academies from the Premier League and Championship.
Following their win over Wimbledon, the Gunners are now into the last 32 of the competition.
It marks the sixth time they have reached the knockout stages since Under-21 sides were first introduced in 2016.
Emerson Nwaneri celebrates scoring against AFC Wimbledon3
Arsenal are into the second round of this season's EFL Trophy
Their best performance to date saw Arsenal reach the quarter-finals in the 2021/22 season before losing to Wigan Athletic.
As for their opponents, Wimbledon have now been eliminated after failing to win any of their three group stage fixtures.
Arsenal will instead be joined in the second round by either Barnet or Leyton Orient.
An academy side has yet to reach the final across the 10 previous editions of the EFL Trophy.