On Saturday, our under-18 team lost 3-2 away to Norwich City after giving up a two-goal lead.
Early in the second half, Dan Casey completed his brace from the penalty spot after opening the score in the 24th minute.
In the 69th minute, Lloyd Ofori-Manteaw gave the home team a response, but Rio Mundle and La’Sean Sealey’s stoppage-time goals gave Norwich the victory.
WHAT HAPPENED
Norwich had the first opportunity when Finlay Corke headed a cross from the left and Khari Ranson made a great stop down to his right.
Moments later, Toby Chilvers was picked out in the box by Sealey, giving the Canaries a great opportunity, but he shot straight at Ranson from ten yards out.
Louie Copley put in a tremendous effort as we looked for the first goal, bending his right foot toward the top corner from the box’s edge and missing by a little margin.
After winning the ball high up the pitch and having Casey pick out the bottom corner from the area’s edge, we took the lead.
Chilvers took a free-kick from right beyond the area, and Norwich nearly equalized until Ranson made a fantastic stop by finger-tipping it around the post.
Henry Bullen made a comfortable save in the end after Cam’ron Ismail found Casey on the edge of the penalty box. Casey had a good touch and got his effort on target.
Mundle’s deep cross sailed over everyone and nearly flew into the top corner as halftime drew near, but it missed.
At the beginning of the second half, Norwich had an early opportunity when Theo Adelusi met a free-kick from the right but was unable to keep his header down.
Chilvers attempted a goal from right inside the box, but Marli Salmon made a fantastic block to stop him. Our center-back stooped to use his chest to block it.
In the 62nd minute, Bullen stopped a cross that bounced onto the arm of a yellow-clad defender, giving us a penalty. For 2-0, Casey went up and tucked the ball into the lower right corner.
Nevertheless, Norwich’s response was prompt.
Bullen made a good stop on Ife Ibrahim’s good long-range effort, and it was almost three-one when the Norwich goalie kicked the ball right into Alex Marciniak’s back but it missed.
Casey had a chance to shoot just inside the box thanks to fantastic pressing at the opposite end, but Chilvers made a fantastic block. Ranson then denied Sealey from close range with yet another spectacular stop.
Norwich equalized by a goal from Mundle in the 92nd minute, and the comeback was completed by Sealey’s goal in the 94th after Daley broke clear on the right.
By the end, it was nearly 3-3, but Bullen stepped up to stop Teshuan Murisa’s rebound after making an incredible save to prevent Casey from scoring his hat-trick.
WHAT IT MEANS
We’re ninth in the league with nine points from our first even games.
WHAT’S NEXT
We’re back in U18 Premier League South action against Crystal Palace at Sobha Realty Training Centre for a 11am kick-off on Saturday, November 2.
LINE-UPS
Norwich City XI: Bullen, Mundle, Okpiahele, Adelusi, Ozcan, Chilvers, Williams, Ofori-Manteaw, Northover (Gomez 81), Corke (Daley 71), Sealey.
Substitutes (not used): Sclare, Binnie, Rowland.
Arsenal XI: Ranson, Owusu-Gyasi, Clarke (Ogunnaike 65), Salmon, Ismail, O’Neill, Casey, Ibrahim, Copley, Bailey-Joseph (Marciniak 71), Frohock (Murisa 65).
Substitutes (not used): Talbot, Zecevic-John.
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