Arsenal secured their place in the last four of the FA Youth Cup with a hard-earned 3-1 victory over Everton at Emirates Stadium last night.
Jack Jebb and Chuba Akpom, the game’s outstanding performers, conjured up the goals, with Jebb finding the net with a well-placed penalty and an expertly-taken free-kick and Akpom pouncing upon some slack defending to take his tally to four goals in as many games in this competition so far this season.
The victory means that a treble of sorts for the youth teams remains a genuine possibility, with the U19 side having reached the Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Youth League and the U21s in the Semi-Finals of the inaugural Premier League Cup.
Arsenal had to withstand intermittent spells of pressure from a determined Everton side, but they defended well, with centre-backs Julio Pleguezuelo and Leander Siemann both authoritative, despite the latter not usually being such a reliable figure. Glen Kamara was also quietly effective in midfield, but Jebb and Akpom were especially dominant, with the latter having developed considerably during his loan spells in League One this season with Brentford and Coventry City.
Everton put Arsenal goalkeeper Josh Vickers under sustained pressure in the early stages, but Arsenal withstood the pressure and eventually took the lead with 34 minutes gone after Jebb converted from the penalty spot. The spot-kick stemmed from the dangerous Akpom being felled by Everton goalkeeper Russell Griffiths after an audacious piece of skill from Alex Iwobi had unlocked the previously resolute visiting defence.
Akpom made it 2-0 before the break as he finished from close range after seizing possession from the panic-stricken Everton defenders. Winger Ainsley Maitland-Niles then struck the crossbar as Arsenal continued their dominance.
Everton were not out of it yet, however, with The Toffees, who knocked Arsenal out of this competition at the Fifth Round stage last season, starting the second-half in inspired form, reducing the deficit courtesy of a close-range strike from Joe Williams.
That goal awoke Arsenal from their temporary slumber, however, with the Gunners subsequently carving out several chances in quick succession. Firstly Jebb had a shot saved before Akpom struck the crossbar from the follow-up. Then came the game’s outstanding moment, with Jebb sending a typically pinpoint free-kick well out of the reach of Griffiths and into the goal to make it 3-1.
Everton, to their credit, continued to battle, but the story of the game had already been decided by the interventions of Jebb and Akpom. Wingers Maitland-Niles and Iwobi were impressive too, as was right-back Tafari Moore, with Arsenal’s youngsters, like the first-team, having dispatched of Everton to earn their place in the Semi-Finals of an FA-organised competition.
