Report – Callan Hamill scores as Arsenal U18s draw with Chelsea

U18 Premier League

Arsenal 1 (Hamill 37) Chelsea 1 (Ezenwata 25)

Captain Callan Hamill scored the equaliser as Arsenal U18s drew 1-1 at home to Chelsea today.

It wasn’t the best performance from Arsenal, who lacked cohesion and flair at times, but they managed to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

Abraham Owusu-Gyasi made his first start at this level at right-back with Josiah King unavailable.

Sam Chapman, who usually plays at centre-back, was deployed at left-back, with Josh Ogunnaike ahead of him as a winger.

Brando Bailey-Joseph was named on the bench, which is perhaps an indication he will be involved with the U19s in the UEFA Youth League in midweek.

Arsenal were without Alex Marciniak, who is away with Wales U18s.

Porter

Owusu Gyasi-Onyekachukwu-Hamill-Chapman

Murisa

Hashi-Julienne

Thompson-O’Neill-Ogunnaike

Subs: Bailey-Joseph (for Thompson, 56), Frohock (for Owusu-Gyasi, 83), B. Phillips (for Julienne, 90). Not used: Talbot, Tahou.

It was an uneventful start to the game, with the first real opportunity coming when Maalik Hashi shot over.

Chelsea took the lead in the 24th minute, with Chizaram Ezenwata scoring after Arsenal struggled to deal with a corner.

Samuel Onyekachukwu then made an important challenge to prevent Chelsea from scoring a second goal.

Arsenal gradually started to assert themselves, with Ceadach O’Neill finding Ogunnaike, who shot over.

The young Gunners then managed to equalise as Hamill headed in after Owusu-Gyasi had provided the knock-down from O’Neill’s free-kick.

Arsenal goalkeeper Jack Porter was called into action on a couple of occasions early in the first half, with Bailey-Joseph then coming on in place of Kyran Thompson.

Bailey-Joseph immediately added an injection of urgency into the Arsenal team and found O’Neill, whose effort was deflected over.

Coach Adam Birchall then made another change as Marley Frohock came on for Owusu-Gyasi.

Chelsea came close as Ezenwata turned brilliantly prior to shooting wide, with the forward later shooting over from another opportunity.

O’Neill, who started the game up front, had to fill in on the right side of the defence towards the end of the game, while Theo Julienne went off late on with Bowen Phillips coming on.

In the end Arsenal will certainly take a point from a game that they could easily have lost.

Birchall’s team have made an excellent start to the season but this wasn’t the best performance overall, with Marciniak’s flair sorely missed.