U18s: Southampton 1-0 Arsenal - Report

Arsenal Under-18s lost 1-0 against Southampton at Staplewood Training Ground.

Carel Kayembe scored the game’s only goal in the 62nd minute to extend the young Gunners’ winless streak to eight games.

Frans de Kat made five changes to the side that lost 2-1 at Reading as he fielded a youthful team.

Elliot Wright replaced George Dobson at the heart of Arsenal’s defence while Ben Sheaf and Savvas Mourgos came in for Renny Smith and Chris Willock in midfield.

Elsewhere, Marcus Agyei-Tabi and Josh Da Silva replaced Tyrell Robinson and Stephy Mavididi in the front line while Kristopher Da Graca - who had recently signed his first professional contract - returned from injury to take up his place on the bench.

Southampton looked brighter from the offset and Arsenal had an early scare when Callum Slattery failed to connect with Kayembe’s cross after the winger had beaten two defenders.

This sparked the Gunners into life, however, and they soon had their first chance. Aaron Eyoma’s hard work forced the Saints’ defence into a mistake and, after he had been played through by Mourgos, the forward curled just wide of Jake Hallett’s post.

Eyoma was then picked out in space by Sheaf, drove into the box and pulled back to Harry Donovan whose strike was deflected over the crossbar by committed defending as the sides went into the break on level terms.

But Southampton only needed one sight of goal in the second half to make their mark. Josh Debayo threaded in Harvey Willard who found Kayembe with his low cross, and the winger made no mistake with his near-post finish.

Arsenal threatened back immediately. Sheaf clipped over the top to substitute Nathan Tella and he squared to Donovan who was denied from six yards by Hallett’s fantastic reflex save.

Da Silva was next to get behind Southampton’s defence and was clean through as he raced into the box, but the forward dragged his low strike wide of the far post.

Hugo Keto was then called into action right at the end of the game. After Kayembe had sliced an effort wide minutes before, the striker found himself one-on-one with Keto again but the goalkeeper was quick off his line to come out on top.

“It’s a pity because we played very well,” De Kat said after the game. “I was very pleased with the way we defended and at the end we forgot to score some goals. They had chances as well of course, but we needed a goal.”