City secure semi-final spot after late PL2 play-off win over Arsenal | OneFootball

City’s dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Arsenal in extra-time sees our Elite Development Squad confirm our place in the Premier League 2 play-off semi-finals.

Khayon Edwards put the Gunners ahead after just a minute, catching City slightly off guard as the game got underway.

Five minutes into the second half, Arsenal’s early intensity was rewarded. Louie Copley found space in behind and managed to squeeze the ball past Thorsten Spike Brits to double Arsenal’s lead.

As we entered the final 15 minutes, City had Arsenal pinned in their half with Ben Wilkinson's side trying their hardest to find a goal.

Our tenacity was rewarded with Ashton Muir halving the deficit from close range on 76 minutes after Divin Mubama's initial effort was saved.

With 90 seconds left to play, and in the final attack of the game, Lakyle Samuel headed home Michael Okeke's corner to send the game to extra time.

It took City 106 minutes to find the lead - and we did so with a super strike. Mubama picked up the loose ball in the Arsenal box and thumped the effort past Ranson.

Our quarter-final triumph means City will face Manchester United or West Ham United in the semi-final.

WHAT HAPPENED

With Arsenal one of the five teams the Blues didn’t face in the PL2 league phase, Saturday evening’s clash with the Gunners was our first encounter with them in 2024/25.

However, it wasn’t the most ideal start to our quarter-final on home soil after Edwards fired the visitors into an early lead with a clinical finish inside the opening minute.

After the restart, City were on the front foot. Matty Henderson-Hall had our best chance of the half on 15 minutes, with the winger’s header hitting the left post after Mubama flicked on Muir’s cross.

Jaden Heskey and Henderson-Hall were carving out the most attacks on the right side with Arsenal growing frustrated at their lack of time on the ball.

Naylor’s free kick on 41 minutes called Khari Ranson into action. He got down low quick to catch the City set-piece.

Wilkinson’s side found it difficult to break through Arsenal’s organised formation as we went into the changing room a goal behind at the interval.

Another electric start to the half from Arsenal saw the Gunners double their lead on 50 minutes as Copley converted after finding space in behind, leaving City with a tall task ahead.

The Blues continued to move play from left to right, tiring Arsenal out as we searched for a way back into the game.

After a prolonged spell of having the Gunners trapped in their half, a dangerous attack came in the form of a whipped cross from the right.

Mubama did well to get his shot away, but Ranson’s stretched hand denied the No. 9 - but Muir tapped home the loose ball. Game on.

The strike gave City an extra boost of adrenaline as our speed of play increased after the re-start.

Gray thought he’d fired in an equaliser from the edge of the box, sending City fans wild, but Muir was in an offside position, and deemed to have blocked Ranson’s line of vision and the effort was duly chalked off.

With two minutes of added time to play, City had one final chance to push. Substitute Okeke whipped in a corner and an unmarked Samuel rose high, guiding a fantastic headed effort in to send the game to extra-time.

The first 15 minutes of extra time saw Charlie Gray go closest with a ranged effort that fizzed just wide of the top right corner via assistance from Ranson.

City took a lesson from Arsenal’s play, and less than a minute into the second half of extra time, Wilkinson’s side snatched the lead.

Mubama hit a thunderous effort into the back of the Arsenal net to send the team and the fans crazy with his third in two games.

In the time that remained, City held firm with resolute defending from Max Alleyne, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Stephen Mfuni confirming our place in the final four.

HOW WE LINED UP

In goal, Spike Brits worked with a back four of Lakyle Samuel, Max Alleyne, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Seb Naylor to shut out our opponents.

In City’s engine room, Charlie Gray, Jaden Heskey and Justin Oboavwoduo looked to link up play with our attacking line which was led by Divin Mubama.

And supporting the No. 9, Matty Henderson-Hall and Ashton Muir provided threat out wide.

CITY XI | Brits, Samuel, Alleyne, Simpson-Pusey, Naylor (Mfuni 58’), Gray, Henderson-Hall (McAidoo 58’) (R. Heskey 96’), J. Heskey, Mubama, Oboavwoduo (Okeke 58’), Muir.

UNUSED SUBS | Wint.

ARSENAL XI | Ranson, Rosiak, Washington, Kacurri (Salmon 84’), Sweet, Henry-Francis, Kabia (Dudziak 99’), Copley (Ferdinand 99’), Edwards (Harriman-Annous 87’), Oulad M’Hand, Sagoe Jr.

UNUSED SUBS | Rojas.

WHAT IT MEANS

City are through to the semi-finals of the PL2 play-offs. Our fixture will be played on the weekend of 10 May with details to be confirmed on our website and app in due course.

UP NEXT

City will face Manchester United or West Ham United in the final four, with their quarter-final to be decided on Monday 5 May.

Keep across mancity.com and the Official Man City App for details on the fixture.