The Arsenal u21s were left frustrated by a late penalty overturn and equaliser to deny them three points against Derby County on Monday night.
Arsenal came out fast and put in a good performance in the early stages of Monday’s Premier League 2 fixture against Derby County, but the young Gunners found themselves 1-0 down just before half time as Cruz Allen finished a counter-attacking opportunity.
A foul on Louie Copley just after the break gave Arsenal the chance to equalise from the penalty spot, but Nathan Butler-Oyedeji’s shot was saved.
Mehmet Ali’s side finally turned things around 15 minutes later, with Michal Rosiak finishing a Jack Henry-Francis cross before Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand set up Andre Harriman-Annous for 2-1 moments afterwards.
Just when it seemed like Arsenal were set for a deserved three points, Justin Oguntolu headed in an 88th-minute equaliser for Derby.
Arsenal thought they had the chance to restore their lead in injury time, when the referee awarded a penalty to the hosts. But after speaking with his assistant, he opted to overturn his decision and give a corner instead.
Overturned penalty decisions are rare in u21 football, with no VAR to call upon. But Arsenal were the unlucky recipients of that rarity on this occasion. The match finished 2-2.
Butler-Oyedeji’s substitution on the hour mark was noteworthy, as it puts him in contention for the bench in Arsenal’s Champions League game against Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
Had he completed the 90 minutes, that would seem less likely, but the timing of the substitution made it seem pre-planned.
It was also notable that Marcell Washington remains on trial from Chelsea, making it two months since he began his spell in north London.
The Arsenal u21s have one more game to play in the regular season, facing West Bromwich Albion next Monday, April 14th. After that, the Gunners will take part in the play-offs, having already secured at least a top-10 finish and progression to that stage.
Arsenal u21 lineup vs Derby County
Ranson, Rosiak, Salmon, Sweet, Washington, Henry-Francis, Copley, S. Oulad M’Hand, Kabia, Butler-Oyedeji, Harriman-Annous
Substitutes
Sagoe Jr (for Butler-Oyedeji, 60), Edwards (for S. Oulad M’Hand, 78), Casey (for Harriman-Annous, 86), Porter, Quesada-Thorn