Arsenal progressed through to the quarter-finals of the u18 Premier League Cup with an emphatic win over Sunderland on Saturday, with Mylo Bernard scoring again.
The Arsenal u18s went into Saturday’s u18 Premier League Cup match against Sunderland knowing that a win would see them progress to the knockout stages of the competition as group winners, but any other result would see Sunderland through instead.
Effectively, the final group fixture itself was more like a knockout game, though with the added difficulty that a draw would send Arsenal out.
The young Gunners put Sunderland under pressure from the off, with Vincent Joseph and Emerson Nwaneri failing to convert a couple of good chances in the first half. But Sunderland also went close to taking the lead, hitting the bar with an effort from outside the box.
Going into the second half at 0-0, Arsenal finally took the lead through summer signing Mylo Bernard, firing a powerful effort into the top corner at the near post. It was his fourth goal in five u18 fixtures for his new club.
The game was then effectively put to bed as Nwaneri put Axel Donczew in behind, and the former Cardiff City youngster was brought down for a penalty and a red card to Sunderland’s Matthew Burns. Nwaneri converted the spot-kick for 2-0.
The Gunners then put gloss on the scoreline late on, with Callan Hamill heading home a corner by Mikel Arteta’s son Gabriel Arteta for 3-0.
U18 boss Josh Smith was pleased with the result, saying: “It was just about being patient. It was about sticking to our principles and having patience, bravery and courage to keep going.
“Over the last six weeks, the boys have shown real belief that we can find different ways to score. So that was pleasing today.
“Upon reflection of last week [the 6-4 win over Brentford], that wasn’t us. We were pleased with the number of goals we scored. But in terms of the goals we let in, too many. So it was very pleasing to come away with a clean sheet today.”
Arsenal will now head into the quarter-finals with the other seven group winners across the eight groups. That includes Everton, Aston Villa, Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Bromwich Albion.
Arsenal u18 lineup vs Sunderland
Talbot, Owusu-Gyasi, Abubakar, McCarron, Mbala, Odaji-Ukueku, Bernard, Bonaventure Yetna, Joseph, Nwaneri, Munoz
Substitutes
Donczew (for Bernard, 61), Hamill (for Owusu-Gyasi, 80), Tahou (for Abubakar, 86), Arteta (for Munoz, 86), Lupinski, Stachow, Sesay
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