Our young Gunners were forced to settle for a point in a 2-2 draw away at Norwich City in the Premier League 2 on Friday.
It was goalless at the break despite our on-ball dominance, but we were ahead straight from the restart through Caedach O’Neill, who drilled his strike hard and low.
The Canaries equalised through Elliot Myles, who benefited from a loose ball to break through on Jack Porter and place his effort to the bottom right.
We were back in front shortly after, through Seb Ferdinand, who had broken free at the back post to pounce.
Victory wasn’t to be had, however, as Norwich came back again through Brandon Forbes deep into stoppage time.
What Happened
We controlled a lion’s share of possession and Evan Mooney almost found an early opener when he met Theo Julienne’s lofted cross, but glanced his header astray and too far for Marcell Washington to stretch for.
O’Neill was next to come close with an inswinging cross that may have been deemed to be a shot by his teammates, as there was no one at the back post to gamble and tap home.
We were quick out of the blocks after the interval, when Brando Bailey-Joseph turned his man down the right flank and sent a dangerous cross in for O’Neill to hit on the swivel and beyond Luis Lines.
We looked to have doubled our lead on the hour mark when Mooney latched onto Bailey-Joseph’s delivery and directed the ball over the line, but the linesman’s flag was raised for offside.
The home side equalised with 20 minutes to go, through Elliot Myles, who picked up on a loose ball that broke free from a bad collision that involved Callan Hamill and Toby Chilvers. Advantage was given, and the Canaries forward travelled forward to beat Porter at his far post.
We restored our lead through Sebastian Ferdinand, who had only just replaced Hamill moments earlier. It was a neat move, which saw fellow substitute Archie Stevens send in a high ball for an unchallenged Ferdinand to control and send beyond the goalkeeper.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time, we were unfortunately pegged once more through a link-up play by two substitutes of their own. Rio Mundle sent a ball into Brandon Forbes, who brought it down well and nudged past Porter to level the tie at 2-2.
What’s Next
Our under-21s continue their Premier League 2 campaign at home to Leicester City on Friday, March 13.
Kick-off at Mangata Developments Stadium is at 7pm (UK time).
TEAM NEWS
Norwich City XI: Lines, Adelusi, Okwumo, Wilson, Gee, Domeracki (Sealey 81), Chilvers, Towler, Ameen (Forbes 87), Baumann (Mundle 63), Myles.
Subs unused: Ansen, Ofori-Manteaw.
Arsenal XI: Porter, Hamill (Ferdinand 77), Washington, Clarke, Ogunnaike, Ibrahim (Stevens 45), Bailey-Joseph, Julienne, Mooney, Agustien, O’Neill.
Subs unused: Mitchell, Owusu-Gyasi, Marciniak.
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