**EFL Trophy**
**Cardiff City 3 (Perrett 19, Spiers 67, George 90) Arsenal U21s 1 (Washington 17)**
Arsenal U21s were knocked out of the EFL Trophy in the group stages again following a 3-1 defeat away to Cardiff City in which goalkeeper Alexei Rojas was sent off.
The young Gunners had started well and took the lead through Marcell Washington only for Cardiff to quickly equalise.
Rojas was making his first competitive appearance for the U21s since February 2024 but it was memorable for all the wrong reasons as he committed a late challenge following a backpass from Washington and was dismissed.
From then onwards it was a major challenge for Arsenal, with Cardiff going on to score twice and secure their place in the knockout stages the expense of David Horseman’s side.
Arsenal were without a host of players due to youth internationals and also elected against fielding any available first-team players.
Josiah King made his first start for the U21s at right-back at the expense of Josh Nichols, with Andre Harriman-Annous also starting following recent involvement with the first-team. Samuel Onyekachukwu made his EFL Trophy debut and his second appearance for the U21s at centre-back.
First year scholar Abraham Owusu-Gyasi received his first callup at this level as he was named on the bench.
**Rojas**
**King-****Onyekachukwu-Sweet-Washington**
**Ibrahim**
**Copley-Dudziak**
**Kamara-Harriman Annous-Sagoe Jr**
**Subs: Mitchell (for Dudziak, 61), Bailey-Joseph (for Kamara, 62), Ogunnaike (for Washington, 72), Julienne (for Ibrahim, 72), Stevens (for Onyekachukwu, 86).**
**Not used: Nichols, Owusu-Gyasi.**
Charles Sagoe Jr has been hugely impressive at this level this season and the winger started brightly against a young Cardiff side as he saw his effort deflected for a corner.
Cardiff then started to pose a threat, with King called into action to make an important intervention.
It was Arsenal, though, who took the lead as Harriman-Annous and Sagoe Jr combined well before the latter found Marcell Washington, with the left-back finishing in impressive style.
As has often been the case for Arsenal at youth level of late, the lead didn’t last long as Cardiff quickly equalised through Troy Perrett.
Sagoe Jr then had further efforts, with Perrett continuing to pose a threat for Cardiff.
In the final notable action of the first half Sagoe Jr found fellow winger Osman Kamara, who headed wide.
There was a warning sign for Arsenal early in the second half as Cardiff’s Will Spiers rattled the crossbar.
Then came the key moment of the game as Washington played an under-hit backpass into the path of Rojas, whose challenge was very late.
The goalkeeper was left dejected as he was dismissed, while Harrison Dudziak was sacrificed as Remy Mitchell came on.
Brando Bailey-Joseph, meanwhile, entered the fray for his U21 debut in place of Kamara.
Spiers shot over for Cardiff, with Will Sweet then having to defend well.
Shortly afterwards Spiers gave Cardiff the lead in rather bizarre circumstances as his curled effort from out the box managed to deceive both Ife Ibrahim and Mitchell.
Luke Pearce then had the ball in the net for Cardiff but the flag was raised for offside.
Further changes followed for Arsenal – Josh Ogunnaike replaced Washington at left-back and Theo Julienne came on for Ibrahim as he featured in this competition for the first time.
Bailey-Joseph sent a good cross in towards Sagoe Jr, who couldn’t quite connect with it properly.
Mitchell tipped the ball over the crossbar following a Cardiff attempt and Spiers then shot over.
Archie Stevens replaced Onyekachukwu in Arsenal’s final change.
Stevens looked to make an effort, with his effort hitting the side-netting.
Any hopes that Arsenal had of progressing were then effectively ended as Trey George scored late on for Cardiff.
King and Bailey-Joseph gained valuable experience at this level and Sagoe Jr impressed in the first half.
Overall, though, this was another disappointing occasion for Arsenal at youth level – with the club now having gone 13 games across the U21s, U19s and U18s without a victory.