Our under-18s continued their perfect start to the 2025/26 season with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Southampton at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Saturday.
Ceadach O’Neill put us in front just before half time with an excellent low finish, but the visitors hit back three minutes after the break through Harry Gathercole.
Just after the hour mark, Maalik Hashi stole possession in the Southampton box to set up O’Neill who put us back in front, before Hashi whipped an excellent free-kick into the top corner to double our lead.
The Saints got one back with five minutes to go when Gathercole scored his second from the penalty spot, but we held on to make it two wins from two in the U18s Premier League South.
What Happened
The visitors made a quick start and almost had the lead in the third minute, but Harry Gathercole was denied from close range by Jack Porter.
Our first chance of the game came when Josiah King whipped a dangerous ball across the face of goal, narrowly evading Ceadach O’Neill and Maalik Hashi.
Southampton had their best chance of the first half after fifteen minutes, when an unmarked Luke Hawe sent a header over the bar following a free-kick.
The decisive moment of the first period came three minutes before the break when Ceadach O’Neill capitalised on a loose Saints pass to race in on goal and dispatch his effort into the bottom corner.
Our lead only lasted three minutes into the second half though, as Thierry Rohart-Brown’s excellent set-piece delivery was tapped in by Gathercole.
Just a few minutes later, we were back in front, when Maalik Hashi won the ball back in the Southampton penalty area and set up O’Neill for his second of the game.
With fifteen minutes to go, Hashi doubled our lead with an outstanding direct free-kick into the top right corner.
Southampton got back into the contest five minutes from time when Gathercole won and converted a late penalty, but it wasn’t enough to deny our young Gunners a deserved victory.
What It Means
We now have six points from six with victories over Norwich City and Southampton, putting us level with Fulham at the top of the U18s Premier League South table.
What’s Next
It’s a quick turnaround for Adam Birchall’s side, with Peterborough United under-18s visiting the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Tuesday, August 26 for a Premier League Cup tie. Kick-off in North London is scheduled for 12pm (UK time).
Line-Ups
Arsenal XI: Porter, King, Onyekachukwu, Hamill, Ogunnaike, Murisa, Julienne, Hashi, Bailey-Joseph (Thompson, 72’), O’Neill, Marciniak (Tahou, 80’)
Subs (not used): C. Phillips, Chapman, B. Phillips
Southampton XI: Moloney, Adjei-Afriyie, Vallance, Martin, Sewell, Rohart-Brown, Newman, McMullan, Hawe, Rodda (Nutter, 46’), Gathercole
Subs (not used): Sainsbury, Richardson, Goremusandu, Lemon
Copyright 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.