The Arsenal u21s progressed to the quarter-final of the Premier League Cup with an extra-time win over Reading on Friday night.
Arsenal made heavy changes to their u21 side on Friday night, having named a rotated team on Tuesday for their final Premier League Cup group game against Burnley.
The Burnley match was a dead rubber, but Friday’s game against Reading was their first knockout match, leading to a strong team selection and 10 changes.
The only player to keep his place from Tuesday’s game was Catalin Cirjan, who had scored in the Burnley defeat.
It was Cirjan who gave Arsenal the lead, capitalising on an excellent long ball from Ben Cottrell with a great touch to take the ball into his path before chipping the goalkeeper for 1-0.
In a fairly even half, Hubert Graczyk had to be alert to smother a couple of Reading opportunities, and Maldini Kacurri needed to make one fantastic covering challenge just before the break.
But Arsenal also had good opportunities to add to their lead, with Joel Ideho skewing his shot just wide in the clearest of those chances.
Unfortunately, Reading punished Arsenal’s failure to extend their advantage with a goal early in the second half. Though an excellent finish, the equaliser was somewhat controversial given a potential foul on Charles Sagoe Jr in the build-up.
Cottrell and Cirjan both could and possibly should have scored in the dying minutes of the game, but neither could quite do so, and the match went to extra time.
Mauro Bandeira came on for the added 30 minutes, and the midfielder made an instance impact with a powerful finish from a tight angle.
Charles Sagoe Jr hit the side netting in Arsenal’s best chance after that, before Reading made a late push for another equaliser. But in the end, the Gunners secured a deserved win and progression to the next round.
Arsenal u21 lineup vs Reading
Graczyk, Walters, Kacurri, Awe, Sousa, Smith, Ibrahim, Cirjan, Cottrell, Ideho, Sagoe Jr
Substitutes
Nwaneri (for Ibrahim, 46), Nichols (for Kacurri, 65), Bandeira (for Cottrell, 91), Cooper, Jeffcott
What’s next?
While Arsenal await the draw for the next round of the Premier League Cup, they’ll face Jong PSV on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT at Meadow Park in their final Premier League International Cup group game – needing a big win to progress to the knockout stages.