Match report: Boro 1-1 Arsenal U23 (Boro win 4-3)

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WHAT HAPPENED

Our Premier League Cup journey ended at the hands of Middlesbrough as we lost 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out on Wednesday night.

Omari Hutchinson had the game's first big chance, testing Luke Daniels after some intricate link-up play with Marcelo Flores inside the box.

The hosts responded with a big opportunity of their own, James Lea Siliki forcing Arthur Okonkwo into a fingertip save to turn his strike over the bar.

James Olayinka almost gave us the lead on the stroke of half time, his effort blocked on the line, before Hutchinson failed to connect cleanly on the rebound.

Middlesbrough began to dominate possession in the second half and found themselves ahead through Steven Walker, firing past Okonkwo after a good run from Joe Gibson.

We sent the game to extra time with an equaliser in the closing stages, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji going down in the box under the challenge of Cain Sykes and Omari Hutchinson scoring coolly from the spot.

Kevin Betsy's men looked the stronger of the two sides throughout extra time, but Flores and Joel Ideho both failed to convert good opportunities and the tie went to a penalty shootout.

Gibson scored Boro's first spot-kick before Mazeed Ogungbo saw his saved by Luke Daniels.

Nathan Wood and Zak Swanson both made no mistake, while Walker was denied impressively by Okonkwo.

Miguel Azeez showed good composure to send Daniels the wrong way and restore parity in the shootout.

Isaiah Cornet, Marcelo Flores and Jack Stott all scored from 12 yards, but Hutchinson had the deciding penalty saved by Daniels, as our Premier League Cup run came to an end.