FA Premier Academy League, 2nd round play off, Sat 17 April 1999Arsenal 5 (2) Sheffield Wednesday 0 (0)Scorers: Barrett ~15, Pennant ~35,~80, Carlin Itonga ~70, Kuffour ~88 Att: ~50? Arsenal: Graham Stack; Cedric Itonga (Ismael ? ~80), Rohan Ricketts, Liam Chilvers, Ben Chorley; Keith Fahey (John Spicer ~55), Stephen Sidwell, Jermaine Brown, Jermaine Pennant; Graham Barrett (Carlin Itonga ~65), Joe Kuffour Apparently taking the Academy League playoff games fairly seriously, Arsenal fielded what seemed a reasonably strong side. Barrett for instance normally plays for the U19 side, though he may only have been playing to fill in for Jay Bothroyd who I guess may be away with the England U16 squad for the European championships which take place in the Czech republic next week. Anyway, this was a very comfortable win over a Sheffield Wednesday side which only really threatened the Arsenal goal for a brief period in the 2nd half. The first goal came after about a quarter of an hour when Fahey's long pass found both Barrett and Pennant running clear of the Wednesday defence down the right. The more centrally placed Barrett took it on before placing a crisp shot from just inside the box across the keeper and into the far corner of the net. Arsenal proceeded to dominate the rest of the half, and indeed I can't remember the visitors mounting a serious threat to Stack in the Arsenal goal. His opposite number at the other end was conversely very busy, and made a number of good saves, one at point blank range I think from Kuffour following a goal mouth scramble. Another was a tip over from a Barrett header from Brown's cross in from the left. Pennant was looking characteristically lively down the right, and I think it was from a half clearance from one of his crosses that Sidwell had a shot from the edge of the box which the keeper again saved well. Arsenal eventually added to their goal about 10 minutes before half time. Kuffour I think jinked past a challenge just outside the area on the right and then bent in a shot which the keeper did well to palm aside, but Pennant was following up at the far post and slotted home from an acute angle, via the keeper's valiant but vain attempt to keep it out. Sheffield Wednesday had a relatively good spell a few minutes into the second half. First their number 11 I think, curled a 25 yard free kick just over the bar, and the visitors started to look a little more lively in attack. A clever backheel sent in the winger on the left of the area, but his shot from an angle was straight at Stack and the Arsenal keeper made his first serious save. Arsenal soon reasserted control though, helped by the substitute Itonga's pace and directness and it was he who put Arsenal 3 up midway through the half. Sidwell threaded a pass forward into the area down the inside right channel, and Itonga held off a challenge to leave himself with only the keeper to beat, which he did by virtue of his firm shot going through the keeper's legs. The young Gunners were fairly rampant for the rest of the game, though Sheffield Wednesday very nearly got one back with what would have been the goal of the game. Not sure, but I think it was the no 11 who spotted Stack off his line and tried an audacious shot from a few yards inside the Arsenal half which beat the keeper but cleared the bar by inches. But at the other end the Wednesday keeper was again kept busy and made 2 or 3 more good saves. Arsenal's fourth goal came from a quick break with Wednesday short at the back as they pressed for a consolation. A long pass found Carlin Itonga running clear down the left with Pennant unmarked in support on his inside. The substitute unselfishly laid the ball inside to leave Pennant with only the keeper to beat, and he finished with aplomb from 15 yards. The last goal was probably the best though. Kuffour flicked the ball over his head in the left side of the area and then hit a sweet volley with the outside of his right foot which curled over the keeper and dipped into the far top corner. It was a fairly impressive performance by the Arsenal youngsters, and the first time I'd seen some of them play. Pennant I've only seen on TV before and he probably stood out, for his tricky running with the ball, though he tends to try and do too much on his own. Chorley is a big strapping centre half and seemed to be the main talker at the back, the redheaded Sidwell is a hard-tackling midfielder who also seemed a good passer. Kuffour again impressed up front with some good skill, and Carlin Itonga seemed to have a bit of pace and nous to go with it. Derek
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