Arsenal under-18s got their FA Youth Cup campaign off to the perfect start on Friday night as they convincingly beat West Brom 4-1 at Meadow Park.
Ben Sheaf started at right-back for the Gunners with Tafari Moore still injured, while Kaylen Hinds, Donyell Malen, Chris Willock and Jeff Reine-Adelaide all started in an offensive looking line-up.
With 15 minutes on the clock, Arsenal took the lead as Reine-Adelaide scored his first goal for the club. Willock was outstanding all game and provided an inch-perfect cross for the summer signing from Lens to powerfully head home from ten yards.
1-0 became 2-0 midway through the half via an outstanding team goal. Willock made a surging run from inside his own half before playing the ball out wide to Reine-Adelaide. The goal scorer then teed up Sheaf marauding forward from right-back, who found the bottom corner of the net with a fine finish.
They could have easily had another goal before half-time when Willock was tripped in the penalty area to give Sheaf the chance to score his second of the night. However, West Brom goalkeeper Matthew Hall pulled out a superb save from the penalty. Hall also saved from Ismael Bennacer’s speculative volley as Arsenal looked to seal their place in the next round.
Donyell Malen has settled into life at Arsenal excellently since his arrival in the summer, and he added to his growing reputation with the goal that settled the game with 15 minutes remaining. After good work from Hinds, Malen showed tidy feet on the edge of the area before slotting the ball past the helpless Hall.
West Brom nearly had a consolation straight from the kick-off when Zak Elbouzedi turned a cross against Hugo Keto’s crossbar, but late on they did score when Keto failed to deal with a deep cross into the penalty area and Daniel Barbir bundled in at the back post.
Substitute Stephy Mavididi restored Arsenal’s three-goal lead with virtually the last kick of the game when he volleyed in from Hinds’ cross as a place in the fourth round was secured.
