By Lloyd Webb at Meadow Park
Summary
Arsenal Under-19s remain top of Group F of the Uefa Youth League despite a 2-1 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday afternoon.
Both sides went close during the first half, but it was the visitors who took control after the restart through Josip Brekalo and Amer Gojak’s strikes.
Substitute Stephy Mavididi pulled one back to set the stage for a tense finish, but the Gunners could not find an equaliser.
Setting the Scene
Andries Jonker made four changes to his side after the 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich last time out.
Donyell Malen, Marcus Agyei-Tabi, Aaron Eyoma and Chris Willock were all named in the starting XI, while Ben Sheaf, Krystian Bielik and Ismael Bennacer were on the bench for the Gunners.
First half
The Gunners started slowly and were almost punished when Gojak fired over the bar after Brekalo had pulled the ball back.
Malen then had a chance at the other end when he raced through on goal but his shot went wide of the target.
Alex Iwobi came close to putting the hosts in front when he forced Adrian Semper into a save in the 22nd minute.
Gojak threatened again just before the break with a powerful effort that required a fantastic save from Hugo Keto to tip the ball around the post.
Second half
Brekalo put the visitors ahead in the 54th minute after he raced down the left flank, broke into the box and fired past Keto.
Zagreb threatened to double their advantage when Gojak forced Keto into a good save at his near post.
The visitors scored their second soon after as Gojak struck from a difficult angle, following Arsenal’s inability to deal with a loose ball in the box.
Mavididi pulled one back in the 78th minute when he applied a composed finish from a few yards out.
The Gunners continued to search for an equaliser as Bennacer and Willock went close, but Jonker’s side succumbed to a defeat.
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