Under 21 6 – 2 Manchester United U21 – Match report

Our U21s progressed to the quarter-finals of the Premier League 2 First Division play-offs with a 6-2 win at home to Manchester United on Friday night.

A flurry of first-half goals from Nathan Butler-Oyedeji (twice), Jack Henry-Francis and Amario Cozier-Duberry gave us a four-goal lead at half-time, and a second-half Ethan Nwaneri penalty secured the victory , Sam Mather. scoring a consolation goal for United. Cozier-Duberry added her second goal in added time and Gabrielle Biancheri scored another goal for the visitors.

It was the visitors who began the game most likely to find the goal when Ovie Ejeheri stooped to catch a long-range shot from Ethan Williams, before our goalkeeper parried a dangerous free-kick.

But it didn’t take us long to find our rhythm and in the 14th minute Arsenal were 1-0 up when Cozier-Duberry slipped down the right and played a direct pass to Butler-Oyedeji. His first shot was blocked, but on the rebound he found the bottom left corner.

Our second goal was the most satisfying to watch from a team perspective. Nwaneri sent the ball straight to Cozier-Duberry, who in turn passed it forward to Reuell Walters on the overlap. His cross was perfect for Jack Henry-Francis to find the bottom left corner for 2-0.

Three minutes later, it was 3-0 when Cozier-Duberry hit the crossbar with his right foot from a slightly tight angle.

He then nearly created another for Butler-Oyedeji, who lifted the ball over Dermot Mee but saw it cleared off the line.

To cap off a brilliant first half display, James Sweet carried the ball forward and fed it to Butler-Oyedeji for a run. He timed his run perfectly, allowing him to round the goalkeeper and find the back of the net.

Nwaneri fired straight at Mee after a clever one-two with Sweet on the stroke of half-time and we went into the break full of confidence.

We started the second half in similar fashion, full of attacking intent when Nwaneri hit the post after Myles Lewis-Skelly recovered the ball high up the pitch.

Nwaneri then got his goal after being brought down in the penalty area and converted from the penalty spot, shooting to the goalkeeper’s left.

Mehmet Ali made his first change with just over half an hour remaining, Josh Nichols coming on for Zane Monlouis.

United pulled one back in the 66th minute when Mather curled a free kick over the wall and into the bottom left corner to make it 5-1.

Gower’s free kick was blocked as we went for the sixth, but he lifted the rebound over the United defense and Butler-Oyedeji hit the side netting.

We made two more changes with seven minutes remaining: Elian Quesada-Thorn and Osman Kamara replaced Nwaneri and Ismeal Kabia respectively.

Our sixth goal came in the first minute of added time when Ayden Heaven played a long ball over the top for Cozier-Duberry, who started his run in our half so it was not in play. He took a strong touch to give the ball a lot of pace and then played it over Mee.

Mather then set out on a mazy solo race and almost found the finish line, but Ejeheri was on hand to deny him.

Gabrielle Biancheri poked the ball over the line at the end to score United’s second goal.

Whats Next

We will face the winner of Chelsea in the quarter-finals at Meadow Park. The game is scheduled to take place between Friday, May 10 and Monday, May 13. Full details will be announced in due course.

Team sheet

Arsenal XI: Ejeheri, Walters, Sweet, Monlouis (Nichols 59), Heaven, Lewis-Skelly, Cozier-Duberry, Henry-Francis (Gower 66), Butler-Oyedeji, Nwaneri (Quesada-Thorn 83), Kabia (Kamara 83).

Unused substitutes: Okonkwo.

Manchester United XI: Mee, Kingdon, Bennett, Aljofree, Murray, Collyer (Devaney 58), Oyedele, Williams (Kamason 75), Mather, Scanlon (Biancheri 58), McNeill (Curley 75).

Unused Substitutes: Huddlestone.