Player Ratings and Report: Arsenal U18s 2-3 Manchester United U18s

United deny Dowman as young Red Devils edge Arsenal U18s in FA Youth Cup thriller

An extra time winner by substitute Bendito Mantato was enough to send Manchester United U18s into the last four of the FA Youth Cup.  

Matchwinner Mantato slotted home from close range after a driving run and cross by Samuel Lusale, who teed the No17 up perfectly, to make the score 3-2 in the 99th minute of a thrilling match between some of the most outstanding young talent this country has to offer.

On a bitterly cold Friday evening in North London, Adam Birchall’s talented Young Guns’ hopes of lifting the trophy for a seventh time were dashed in front of 7,561 fans at the Emirates - despite Arsenal’s talented Max Dowman scoring with a cooly taken penalty to make the score 2-1.

That was before United right-back Jaydan Kamason absolutely smashed the ball past Gunners keeper Jack Porter as the young Red Devils and their fans in the ground celebrated their unlikely 85th minute equaliser to make it 2-2.

Earlier Adam Lawrence’s young Red Devils went ahead through No10 Jack Fletcher, whose excellent curling shot flew past the despairing dive of Gunners keeper Porter to make it 1-0 to United after 36 minutes.

Despite the blow, the home side refused to bow, and prompted by the impressive Dowman – who it must be remembered only turned 15 years of age on December 31 – while aided by the lively promptings of his captain Louis Copley, fought to get back into the game.

It was Copley who levelled before the interval when he darted through on goal, before showing great composure to lift the ball over the onrushing William Murdock in the United goal, to make it 1-1 five minutes later.

With both sides intent on maintaining an attacking tempo after the break, it fell to Dowman to burst into the box on 58 minutes. United left-back Reece Munro attempted to halt the Arsenal powerhouse, but fouled the No10 in the process, leaving referee Jacob Miles no option but to award a spot-kick.

Up stepped Dowman himself to steer the ball past Murdock’s dive to put Birchall’s Arsenal 2-1 up.

However, just as home fans were gearing up for victory, United’s No2 Kamason thrashed the ball into the net past poor Porter for 2-2, to take us to extra time.

As temperatures dropped the tempo rose, with substitute Jim Thwaites playing a superb ball through to Lusale, who powered past the ineffectual challenge of Arsenal’s Dan Casey to feed matchwinner Mantato, who made no mistake from close range to send United through to the semi-finals of the competition, as Will Sweet saw red for a poor challenge late on. 

Find out who impressed with our Player Ratings:

Player Ratings:

Jack Porter: 7/10

Brayden Clark: 7/10

Josh Ogunnaike: 7/10

Marli Salmon: 7/10

Will Sweet: 5/10

Ife Ibrahim: 7/10

Louis Copley (c): 8/10

Teshaun Murisa: 7/10

Andre Harriman-Annous: 7/10

Max Dowman: 8.5/10

Cedach O’Neill: 7.5/10

Substitutes:

Dan Casey: 6/10

Daniel Oyetunde: 7/10

Brando Bailey-Joseph: 7/10