Our under-19s were beaten 4-1 by Inter Milan in the UEFA Youth League on Wednesday.
What happened
Giacomo De Pieri had a shot saved from the left by Lucas Martin Nygaard early on, before our goalkeeper then produced a triple save after De Pieri’s cross found Thomas Berenbruch.
It didn’t take long for the hosts to make the breakthrough though, Matteo Cocchi crossing for De Pieri in the eight minute and the latter heading in after a counter-attack.
After Berenbruch curled wide of the top left corner from distance, De Pieri broke through again, but on this occasion Marli Salmon got back well to time his challenge and concede a corner.
Luka Topalovic volleyed wide from the resulting set-piece.
Ayden Heaven picked out Andre Harriman-Annous and his shot was blocked as we had our first effort of the game, before Max Dowman wriggled his way through and Ismeal Kabia forced a corner.
Michal Rosiak’s delivery came out to Kabia, who touched it right to Dowman, and his shot flew just over the bar.
Nygaard parried a Cocchi cross wide at the other end and Dowman’s shot was too soft to trouble Matteo Zamarian was we looked for a way back into the match.
That challenge was made more difficult in the 41st minute, when a cross from Matteo Spinacce flew in at the far post for 2-0.
Max Porter made two changes at the break, Theo Julienne and Osman Kamara coming on for Salmon and Dan Casey.
Rosiak hit the will with a free-kick as we began the second half looking lively, but it was Maldini Kacurri we had to thank for racing back to slide the ball away after De Pieri went through on goal again.
Nygaard kept us in it with a save from an Inter corner, but we were reduced to 10 men when Kacurri was shown a second yellow card in the 59th minute.
Brayden Clarke then came on for Andre Harriman-Annous as we made another change.
Inter’s second-half substitute Manuel Pinotti then made it 3-0 when he curled the ball in off the bar from distance.
We pulled one back when Kabia crossed for Kamara who converted for 3-1, before the former made way for Louie Copley.
Dilan Zirate struck the crossbar as Inter hunted a fourth with the game entering its closing stages, and Gabriele Re Cecconi headed wide from a following corner. Matteo Lavelli then made it 4-1 with a deflected effort.
What it means
We're 27th in the Youth League with three points from four games.
What's next
We're back in Youth League action on Tuesday, November 26 (2pm CET) away to Sporting Lisbon. As for our other academy sides, the under-18s travel to Reading this weekend in the U18 Premier League South, before the under-21s head to Colchester United for Bristol Street Motors Trophy football on Tuesday.
Line-ups
Inter Milan XI: Zamarian, Della Mora, Cocchi, Zanchetta (Zarate 71), Re Cecconi, Maye (Alexiou 71), Berenbruch (C), Topalovic (Venturini 77), Spinacce (Lavelli 71), De Pieri (Pinotti 63), Romano.
Substitutes (not used): Taho, Kangasniemi, Motta, Zouin.
Arsenal XI: Martin Nygaard, Salmon (Julienne 46), Kacurri, Heaven, Nichols, Rosiak, Dowman, Dudziak, Kabia (Copley 75), Casey (Kamara 46), Harriman-Annous (Clarke 63)
Porter, Ranson, Sweet, Ismail, Ferdinand, Forde.
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