Two goals from Max Dowman helped our under-19s beat Bayern Munich 4-2 at Mangata Developments Stadium in the UEFA Youth League, giving us our first three points of our European campaign.
Yil Gashi picked up a loose pass and found the bottom corner to give Bayern the lead, before Dowman equalised from close range. Bayern almost restored their lead just before the break, but Jack Porter saved David Daiber’s penalty to keep the score level.
Goals from Kyran Thompson and Ceadach O’Neill put us into a 3-1 lead, and despite Ljubo Puljic’s late goal, we got all three points thanks to a sensational solo effort from Dowman in added time.
what happened
Bayern had the first clear-cut chance of the game when Allen Lambe raced in on goal, only to be denied by a fantastic sliding challenge by Marli Salmon.
Magnus Dalplaz had the first shot on target at the midway point of the half, forcing a quick reaction save from Jack Porter to keep the score level.
The visitors found their breakthrough a couple of minutes later, when Yil Gashi fired past Jack Porter from close range after latching onto Ife Ibrahim’s loose backpass.
We worked our way back into the game and got a deserved equaliser when Max Dowman converted Kyran Thompson’s low, driven cross from the edge of the six-yard box.
Dowman almost scored a second moments later, but his effort from 20 yards was saved well by Leonard Prescott in the Bayern goal.
The visitors had a chance to restore their lead right on half-time when they were awarded a penalty after Louie Copley handled from a corner, but Porter got down to his right to make an excellent save.
Riding the momentum from Porter’s save, we made a strong start to the second half, and almost took the lead when Copley’s effort from long range flew just over the crossbar.
With 20 minutes to go, our second half dominance was rewarded when Thompson slotted the ball into the bottom corner from a tight angle to put us ahead.
We doubled our advantage shortly after, when Ceadach O’Neill latched onto Josh Ogunnaike’s ball to the far post to score at the back post.
Bayern got back into the game from a set-piece routine, finished off by Ljubo Puljic, but Dowman came up with a magical individual goal in stoppage time to make the points safe.
what it means
Our first win in this season’s Youth League means we stay in the hunt for a place in the knockout stages heading into the final round of the League Phase.
what’s next
Our under-19s travel to Belgium to face Club Brugge on Wednesday, December 10, in the final game of our European campaign. Kick-off is scheduled for 1pm (UK time).
line-ups
Arsenal XI: Porter, Clarke, Copley, Dowman, Ibrahim, Ogunnaike (Munoz, 85′), O’Neill (Nwaneri, 85′), Bailey-Joseph (Pedro, 90+1′), Hamill (King, 65′), Salmon, Thompson (Dudziak, 85′)
Subs: Phillips, Julienne, Onyekachukwu
Bayern XI: Prescott, Dalplaz, Ofli, Kiala, Puljic, Daiber, Binder (Nasrawe, 69′), Lambe (Chemwor, 82′), Gashi (Snip, 88′), Della Rovere, Olychenko (Cardozo, 82′)
Subs: Ruland, Pavlic, Moumouni, Matosevic, Hentcho Nseke
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