Under 19 0 - 1 FC Shakhtar Donetsk Under 19 - Match Report

We were beaten 1-0 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Youth League on Tuesday afternoon.

Valentyn Halonskyi gave the visitors an early lead in the 14th minute, and our under-19s were unable to find an equaliser.

In the third minute, Ismeal Kabia was played in behind by Josh Nichols and was brought down in the 18-yard box, but no penalty was given.

That move led to a corner, from which Maldini Kacurri headed straight at Rostyslav Bahlai.

Shakhtar then went ahead as a cross from Vladyslav Tyutyunov was flicked into the back of the net by Halonskyi.

At the start of the second half, Kabia went on a great run down the left and glided past the Shakhtar defence before laying it off to Harrison Dudziak, whose effort was deflected away.

Shakhtar had an opportunity to double their lead with just over 15 minutes to go as Denys Smetana struck wide from 20 yards out.

Michal Rosiak had a free-kick deflected into Louis Zecevic-John’s path, but he was unable to get enough contact on the ball as we pushed for a late equaliser.

Brando Bailey-Joseph did well to chop past the Shakhtar defence in the dying embers, but his cross to the back post wasn't met by anyone in red and white.

Substitute Marli Salmon then had a shot from 25 yards that went well wide of the post.

Rosiak fizzed a ball to Zecevic-John and he set it up for Dan Casey just outside the box, but his effort was held by the goalkeeper.

In the eighth minute of added time, Vasyl Bundash was sent off for a second yellow card as Shakhtar were reduced to 10 men.

With three points from three games, we’re 27th in the Youth League ahead of our matches against Inter Milan, Sporting Lisbon and AS Monaco.

Our under-18s head to Norwich looking to continue their unbeaten start to the U18 Premier League South season. We’re not in Youth League action again until November 6, when we travel to Inter Milan.

Arsenal XI: Setford, Clarke (Salmon 66), Kacurri, Heaven, Nichols (Zecevic-John 80), Copley (Casey 59), Rosiak, Dudziak, Kabia, Harriman-Annous, Ferdinand (Bailey-Joseph 59).

Substitutes (not used): Martin Nygaard, Forde, Ismail, Lannin-Sweet, Ibrahim.

Shakhtar Donetsk XI: Bahlai, Drozd, Bashmarin, Kostyuk, Oharkov, Bundash, Tyutyunov (Tryfanenko 73), Smetana, Tsukanov (Strilchuk 90+2), Halonskyi, Lomaha (Petruk 73).

Substitutes (not used): Nedozymovannyi, Sheleketa, Reshetnikov, Mylokost, Kostrytsia, Davydenko.