U18s Report & Highlights: Ten-man Palace end season with hard-fought Arsenal draw

Summary:

• Javier Alonso makes three changes for the Academy’s final outing of the campaign, with Under-16 defender Hugo Bull, AJ Greaves and Chuks Okoli all returning to the starting XI, while Joel Drakes-Thomas missed out through suspension.
• 3 – GOAL: Khyan Frazer-Williams’ lofted pass releases Donte Martin down the left, whose delivery causes chaos before he curls home superbly off the post.
• 7: Dean Benamar’s half-volley flashes narrowly wide of the far post.
• 9 – GOAL: Charlie Walker-Smith’s long throw sparks a frantic scramble in the area, with David Angibeaud reacting quickest to turn home from close range.
• 12: Saurap Sampang fires over from distance for Arsenal’s first attempt of the afternoon.
• 27 – GOAL: Maalik Hashi pulls one back for Arsenal.
• 28 – GOAL: Brando Bailey-Joseph restores parity for the visitors.
• 37: Martin nearly catches the 'keeper out with an audacious effort from 35 yards.
• 40: Palace flash several dangerous deliveries across the face of goal, but cannot find the finishing touch.
• 42: Arsenal threaten with a series of dangerous balls into the Palace penalty area, though the hosts defend well.
• 44: AJ Greaves sees a pair of dangerous low crosses scrambled clear by the visitors.
• 45: Benamar fires a free-kick over the bar as Palace push for a third before the break.
• HT: Palace U18s 2-2 Arsenal U18s
• 47: Walker-Smith rises high, but miscues the header off Danaher’s right flank set piece.
• 50: A sliding Greaves makes an excellent last-gasp block to deny Hashi.
• 56: Mylo Bernard almost makes an immediate impact off the bench, but fires over the bar.
• 59: Bailey-Joseph flashes into the side netting.
• 62: Benamar skips past the defender, but is denied one-on-one!
• 64 – RED CARD: Zecevic John races in behind and is taken out by the onrushing Mason, who receives a red card, defender Benamar takes the gloves!
• 66: Benamar's first contribution is to make an excellent save from the resulting free-kick – lovely stuff, Deano!
• 79: Greaves makes a brilliant block on the line to prevent a certain goal!
• 85: Benamar makes another good save to deny Zecovic John.
• Four minutes of additional time is indicated…
• 90 (+2’): Greaves pulls into the path of Bernard, who sees his strike denied!
• Ft: Palace U18s 2-2 Arsenal U18s
• We conclude the U18s Premier League South with a fifth place finish!

Eager to conclude a historic 2025/26 campaign on a positive note, Palace entered their final Academy fixture of the season looking to respond after recent defeats against West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa, having previously recorded impressive victories over Arsenal and Ipswich Town.

With several key players sidelined through injury and a number of Under-16 squad members unavailable due to GCSE commitments, securing a top-five finish in the U18 Premier League South remained the objective for Javier Alonso’s side heading into the final day.

Arsenal arrived in South London seeking revenge for Palace’s dramatic 3-2 victory at Hale End earlier this month, with the visitors knowing a win could lift them above Fulham into 10th place.

Alonso made three changes for the Academy’s final outing of the campaign. Hugo Bull replaced Remi Shittu on the right side of the back three, AJ Greaves came into the side for suspended forward Joel Drakes-Thomas, while U18 Player of the Season Chuks Okoli returned from injury to captain the young Eagles in place of Stuart Oduro in midfield.

Palace made a blistering start and deservedly took the lead inside three minutes through Donte Martin in spectacular fashion.

Khyan Frazer-Williams lifted a diagonal ball from inside his own half into Martin’s path down the left, and after his dangerous delivery ricocheted around the penalty area, the forward regained possession and curled an excellent strike in off the post.

The young Eagles continued to pile on the pressure in search of a second. Arsenal struggled to contain the hosts early on, while efforts from David Angibeaud and Raihaan Anderson were blocked before truly troubling the visitors’ defence.

Soon after, Charlie Walker-Smith launched another long throw into the area, which was only partially cleared, allowing Dean Benamar to strike a half-volley narrowly wide of the target.

Palace doubled their advantage shortly afterwards following another dangerous Walker-Smith long throw. The delivery created a pinball-like scramble inside the penalty area before Angibeaud reacted quickest to stab home from close range.

Arsenal’s first sight of goal arrived in the 12th minute when Saurap Sampang fired over from range, failing to trouble Jack Mason between the sticks. It had otherwise been a dominant opening spell from Palace.

Alonso’s side moved the ball confidently and controlled possession for much of the half, probing patiently in search of a third goal. Although clear-cut opportunities became less frequent as the game settled, Palace remained firmly on top, with wing-back AJ Greaves particularly impressive down the right flank.

However, the contest turned dramatically in the space of two minutes as Arsenal hit back before the half-hour mark. Chuks Okoli was dispossessed just outside the area by Maalik Hashi, who drove forward and calmly slotted beyond Mason to halve the deficit.

Less than a minute later, the visitors struck again. Another turnover allowed Arsenal to work the ball across to Brando Bailey-Joseph, who squeezed a low effort underneath the diving Mason at his near post to bring the young Gunners level completely against the run of play.

Having restored parity, the visitors made life increasingly difficult for the young Eagles, frustrating Palace’s attempts to regain control of the contest.

Arsenal withstood a succession of crosses and efforts on goal, while Martin nearly caught the 'keeper out with an audacious strike from 35 yards. Palace also flashed several dangerous deliveries across the face of goal without finding the decisive touch.

The young Gunners offered a threat of their own in the closing stages of the half, sending a handful of dangerous balls into the Palace area, though the hosts defended them well.

Palace continued to push for a third before the interval as Greaves saw a pair of low crosses scrambled clear, before Benamar curled a free-kick over the bar. The sides went into the break level at 2-2...

The second half began at a lively tempo as Euan Danaher whipped a free-kick from the right into the penalty area, though Walker-Smith could only miscue his header.

Arsenal responded with a dangerous counter-attack, as Louis Zecevic-John was played through on goal before squaring for Hashi, whose first-time effort was superbly blocked by Greaves in a crucial last-ditch intervention.

Greaves required treatment following the challenge, causing a brief stoppage before play resumed.

From the restart, Palace resumed their search for a third as Danaher failed to make clean contact with an ambitious scissor kick, before Greaves saw a powerful volley charged down.

Approaching the hour mark, Alonso introduced forward Mylo Bernard to inject fresh attacking impetus, and the substitute almost made an instant impact. Benamar combined neatly with Martin before breaking forward and drilling a dangerous ball across goal, where Bernard flicked narrowly over the bar.

At the other end, Arsenal continued to threaten, with Brando Bailey-Joseph finding space on the right side of the area but firing into the side netting.

Midway through the half, disaster struck for Palace as Zecevic-John raced in behind and was brought down by the onrushing Mason, who was shown a straight red card. With no goalkeeper on the bench, defender Benamar was forced to take the gloves.

Benamar’s first involvement was to produce an excellent save from the resulting free-kick, before immediately launching a superb long pass upfield to relieve pressure.

Momentum swung firmly in Arsenal’s favour, with the visitors enjoying long spells of possession but struggling to create clear-cut chances. Palace remained a threat on the counter but were largely forced into a prolonged spell of defensive resilience.

With ten minutes remaining, Zecevic-John pulled the ball back to spark a scramble inside the box, with Palace producing a series of blocks before Greaves made a crucial goal-line intervention to deny a certain goal.

Zecevic-John then fired towards the near corner, only for Benamar to react with an outstretched boot to turn it away as Arsenal continued to pile on the pressure.

In the dying embers, 10-man Palace were pinned deep inside their own half, but remained compact and disciplined. Zecevic-John, Arsenal’s main attacking threat, drifted inside and struck a low effort straight at Benamar, who held well.

Four minutes of additional time were indicated, and Palace almost snatched a winner when Greaves pulled the ball back into the path of the onrushing Bernard, but he rolled his effort into the gloves of the diving goalkeeper.

10-man Palace successfully battled their way to a point, bringing the U18 Premier League South campaign to a close in fifth place on 46 points, level with West Brom but boasting a superior goal difference. A proud end to a historic campaign for the young Eagles!

Crystal Palace Under-18s: Mason, Bull, Benamar, Walker-Smith, Frazer-Williams, Okoli, Greaves, Danaher (Bernard, 56’), Angibeaud, Anderson, Martin (Lamidi, 68’).

Subs not used: Shittu, Kalembo, Moses.

Red Card: Mason.

Arsenal Under-18s: Ranson, Owusu-Gyasi, Sampang, Murisa, Stachow, Julienne, Bailey-Joseph, Hamill (Onyekachukwu, 79), Zecevic John, Hashi (Phillips, 59’), Marciniak**.**

Subs not used: Lupinski, Frohock.