Our under-21s closed out the Premier League 2 regular season with a 4-3 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Monday night.
Despite going 2-0 down in the first half, goals from Charles Sagoe Jr. and Will Sweet got us to half time level.
A quick start to the second half from West Brom saw the hosts race into a 4-2 lead just three minutes after the break.
We piled the pressure on in search of an equaliser and did get a goal back through a stoppage time penalty from Khayon Edwards, but the Baggies held on to take all three points.
What Happened
We got off to a quick start in Solihull, with Khayon Edwards going close with a header from an early corner.
15 minutes in though we found ourselves behind when Cole Deeming curled a free-kick into the corner from 25 yards out.
The Baggies doubled their lead after 27 minutes through Eseosa Sule, but less than two minutes later Edwards set up Charles Sagoe Jr. to get us back in the game.
Michal Rosiak was unlucky not to equalise with seven minutes of the first half to go, but after his effort was saved, Will Sweet continued his goal scoring run with a header from the resulting corner.
Right after the break, West Brom scored a third, Deeming putting his side in front with a stunning strike from distance. Just one minute later, Sule followed Deeming in scoring his second of the game, netting from close range to put the hosts in control.
We had a chance to pull a goal back from the penalty spot 12 minutes from time, but having won the penalty, Salah saw his effort saved by Ben Cisse.
A second penalty deep into stoppage time won and scored by Edwards gave us a slither of hope, but it was too late to force a comeback.
What It Means
Despite tonight’s defeat, a solid season for our young Gunners has seen us comfortably progress to the playoffs.
What’s Next
Our under-21s move on to the Premier League 2 Playoffs, with Newcastle United visiting Meadow Park in the first round.
Fixture details for our clash with the Magpies will be confirmed in due course.
Line-Ups
West Bromwich Albion XI: Cisse, Williams, Parker, Crowther (Hall, 74), Diomande, Mohammed, Nelson, Deeming (Iddrisa, 74), Sule (Ranger, 82), Whitwell (Mandey, 82), Heard
Subs (not used): Brady
Arsenal XI: Porter, Rosiak, Washington (Quesada-Thorn, 62), Clarke, Sweet, Henry-Francis (Kamara, 80), Kabia, Gower (Copley, 62), Edwards, Salah, Sagoe Jr. (Harriman-Annous, 62)
Subs (not used): Ranson
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