Arsenal u21s draw 1st pre-season game under new managers | OneFootball

The Arsenal u21s kicked off pre-season with their traditional game against Boreham Wood on Saturday, pulling off a 2-2 draw despite missing many key players.

Photo via Arsenal.com

The Arsenal u21s have been significantly weakened this week by first-team call-ups, with the likes of Josh Nichols, Andre Harriman-Annous, Louie Copley, Max Dowman, and others in Spain with Mikel Arteta’s side.

Those left behind had to take on Boreham Wood at Meadow Park on Saturday, playing under new interim head coaches Max Porter and Ken Gillard.

Their task was made even more difficult as the hosts took the lead within seconds of kick-off, as Matt Rush tapped home from close range for 1-0.

Arsenal quickly fought back into the game, with Louis Zecevic-John working well in the buildup and Alex Marciniak finishing a chance well for 1-1 in the 11th minute.

Photo by Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images

Arsenal made eight changes at the half-time interval, and took off the remaining three players on the hour mark, so it was an entirely new side that then took the lead in the 63rd minute.

U21 debutant Maalik Hashi took advantage of defensive confusion with a calm finish for 2-1, and Arsenal looked like being unlikely winners despite all their absentees.

But Boreham Wood hit back with a late goal from Junior Dixon for 2-2, and the friendly ended in a draw.

Arsenal u21 lineup vs Boreham Wood

Nygaard, Hamill, Clarke, Chapman, Washington, Julienne, Ferdinand, Marciniak, O’Neill, Sagoe Jr., Zecevic-John

Substitutes

Ranson (for Nygaard, 46), Ismail (for Hamill, 46), Onyekachukwu (for Champan, 46), Ogunnaike (for Washington, 46), Murisa (for Julienne, 46), Thompson (for Marciniak, 46), Bailey-Joseph (for O’Neill, 46), Oyetunde (for Zecevic-John, 46), King (for Clarke, 60), Hashi (for Ferdinand, 60), Phillips (for Sagoe Jr., 60)

Arsenal pre-season schedule