The Arsenal U19s went into the game knowing they needed a result, as a defeat would mathematically eliminate them from the UEFA Youth League. Even a draw wouldn’t be enough to stay in if PSV beat Lens in the other game.
But the young Gunners had a few notable absentees on the day, with Charles Sagoe Jr. and Amario Cozier-Duberry called up to the first-team squad and Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly away with England for the u17 World Cup.
In another fiery first half, Arsenal struggled to put too much together in attack, though they’ll perhaps feel they should have had a penalty when Omari Benjamin was upended in the area early on.
Just minutes later, Sevilla took the lead with a nice move, with Ibrahima Sow finding Jose Ignacio Vizcaino in the box for a near-post finish.
It was only thanks to a very good save from Alexei Rojas that Sevilla didn’t go 2-0 up, with the Arsenal goalkeeper saving a close-range effort from Alberto Collado.
Osman Kamara then had Arsenal’s best chance of the first 45, a relatively tame volley that was saved by a diving Marc Dolz.
With PSV 2-0 up against Lens at the break, the Gunners knew that nothing but a comeback win would be enough to keep them in the competition.
The second half started in a slightly more encouraging fashion, with Ismail Oulad M’Hand dragging a shot just narrowly wide of the far post.
Benjamin was then booked for simulation, despite replays clearly showing his shirt was pulled in the box.
But when Benjamin was brought down again for a free-kick, Arsenal took full advantage. Jimi Gower curled in a cross, with Reuell Walters powering a header into the net for 1-1.
Bradley Ibrahim then almost managed to tackle the ball into the net, but it squirmed agonizingly wide.
Substitute Chido Obi-Martin saw a shot from the edge of the box well saved as the young Gunners pushed for the go-ahead goal.
Arsenal were then served a warning of the dangers of potential Sevilla counter-attacks, with Bakary Sow firing over when well-placed after a break. Ibrahima Sow then missed an even better chance a few minutes later.
Tempers flared after a foul on Gower led to a confrontation between both sets of players, as the chances seemed to dry up.
Despite another late push by Arsenal, they couldn’t find the goal they needed, and the match finished 1-1. With PSV beating Lens, Arsenal’s chances of progression were mathematically over.
Arsenal Lineup vs Sevilla
Rojas, Nichols, Walters, Heaven, Sousa, Ibrahim, I. Oulad M’Hand, Gower, Ferdinand, Kamara, and Benjamin
Substitutes
Obi-Martin (for Kamara, 46), Rosiak (for Sousa, 69), Dudziak (for I. Oulad M’Hand), Oyetunde (for Benjamin, 89), Cooper, Brown, and Kacurri
What’s next?
The Arsenal U19s will play their final group games at home to Lens on November 29th and away to PSV on December 12th. Both games are at 13:00 GMT.
In the meantime, the u18s play against Norwich City on Saturday, November 11th, at 12:00 GMT, while the u21s are next in action away to Reading in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, November 14th, at 19:00 GMT.
