Easy Arsenal win sets up Man City FA Youth Cup tie

The Arsenal u18s won comfortably away to Mansfield Town in the third round of the FA Youth Cup on Monday night, setting up a tie against Manchester City.

Photo via Arsenal.com

Arsenal travelled away to Mansfield Town on Monday for their FA Youth Cup third-round tie with a depleted squad, missing key players like Max Dowman (injured), Andre Harriman-Annous (injured), Marli Salmon (suspended), and Josiah King (suspended).

Yet the game couldn’t have started better for the young Gunners, with team captain Callan Hamill finishing off a corner routine with a flick at the near post for 1-0 in the 12th minute.

Mansfield were rattled, and Arsenal capitalised as Louis Zecevic-John was brought down for a penalty a few minutes later. Maalik Hashi converted for 2-0 after just 16 minutes.

Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter

Arsenal had to wait a little while for a third, with Zecevic-John again involved to turn home a deflected clearance just after the hour mark.

But just when it looked like the game was done, Mansfield sparked hope of a comeback in the 67th minute as Mace Oldershaw made it 3-1.

Thankfully, Arsenal regained their three-goal lead directly from kick-off, with Brando Bailey-Joseph finishing off a nice move for 4-1. That’s how it remained until the full-time whistle, sending the away side through to the next round.

Arsenal u18 lineup vs Mansfield Town

Porter, Hamill, Chapman, Onyekachukwu, Ogunnaike, Murisa, Julienne, Hashi, Bailey-Joseph, Zecevic-John, O’Neill

Substitutes

Thompson (for Zecevic-John, 65), Marciniak (for Hashi, 71), Phillips (for Bailey-Joseph, 90), Ranson, Pedro, Owusu-Gyasi, Stachow

What’s next?

Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter

Arsenal already know their fourth-round opponents, with the young Gunners to face Manchester City away from home. The match will take place in January, but the exact details are yet to be confirmed.

It could hardly get more difficult than an away match against the runaway u18 Premier League North leaders, but a win would certainly inspire a lot of belief that this could be Arsenal’s year to win the competition.