The Arsenal u18s beat Middlesbrough on Saturday through a second-half goal from James Sweet to keep their hopes of progression to the Premier League Cup knockout stages alive.
Following an opening-day draw with West Ham United, the Arsenal u18s needed to start putting some points on the board quickly, due to the fairly cutthroat nature of the u18 Premier League Cup.
Unlike most competitions with a group stage, the Premier League Cup only offers one guaranteed progression spot in each four-team group, with only three fixtures played.
There’s a spot for the best second-placed finisher, but it’s just one spot, across seven groups.
So after drawing with West Ham, Arsenal arguably needed to win both of their remaining games to have a shot at second-place progression, let alone topping the group.
Fortunately, the Gunners managed to get the first win they needed against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Sunderland forward Mason Cotcher made his Arsenal u18 debut on trial in the contest, and 13-year-old Max Dowman stepped up for a start, but it was a couple of the u18s consistent starters in Seb Ferdinand and James Sweet who combined for the opening goal.
Following a number of chances earlier in the game, with Daniel Oyetunde proving particularly threatening on the left-hand side, Arsenal’s goal eventually came from a set-piece situation.
The corner initially went short, before Ferdinand looped a cross into the box, landing on Sweet’s head.
Sweet directed his effort into the net for 1-0, and the Gunners held out with a clean sheet, helped by Noah Cooper making a couple of important saves in goal.
The group will now come down to whether or not Arsenal can better West Ham’s result in the final round, with the Gunners facing Derby County and West Ham playing Middlesbrough.
The two teams have the same goal difference at this stage, but West Ham top the group on goals scored, having won 2-1 against Derby.
So Arsenal either need to win by a greater margin than West Ham do, hope that the Hammers draw or lose, or win by the same margin whilst scoring two more goals than West Ham do.
If Arsenal win but don’t better West Ham in the group, there may still be a shot at second-place progression on seven points, the maximum points total any second-place team could have. But it’s not smart to rely on that possibility.
West Ham’s game will be played on the same day as the Arsenal match, November 25th.
Arsenal u18 lineup vs West Ham
Cooper, Nichols, Kacurri, Sweet, Brown, Copley, Shuaib, Dowman, Ferdinand, Oyetunde, Cotcher
Substitutes
Bascoe-Fisher (for Cotcher, 70), Ryan (for Oyetunde, 90+6), Ranson, Chinedu, Clairmont
What’s next?
It’s possible some of this u18 side will be involved with the u19s playing against Sevilla in the UEFA Youth League on Tuesday, but the rest will play their next football in the u18 Premier League South against Crystal Palace on Saturday, October 28th at 11:00 BST.
As for the u18 Premier League Cup, as mentioned, the group stage will conclude against Derby County on Saturday, November 25th at 12:00 BST.