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Bristol Street Motors Trophy

MK Dons 2 (Harrison 26, 32) Arsenal 2 (Harriman-Annous 30, Butler-Oyedeji 36)

MK Dons win 3-1 on penalties

Andre Harriman-Annous became Arsenal’s youngest ever scorer in the EFL Trophy as the young Gunners drew 2-2 away to MK Dons.

16-year-old Harriman-Annous made his first start at this level after featuring as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. Nathan Butler-Oyedeji returned to the side and also found the net as Arsenal twice came from behind to level.

Arsenal showed impressive professionalism in the second half but weren’t able to find a winner. A penalty shootout for a bonus point followed, with MK Dons winning 3-1 but there were still some positives to take from the evening for Arsenal.

Myles Lewis-Skelly featured for the U21s for the first time since August following his recent involvement with the first-team, while Salah-Eddine also came back into the side. There was another callup on the bench for first year scholar Theo Julienne.

Nygaard

Robinson-Kacurri-Monlouis-Lewis Skelly

Rosiak

Salah Eddine-Gower

Kabia-Butler Oyedeji-Harriman Annous

Subs: Nichols (for Robinson, 46), Forde (for Kabia, 89), Dudziak (for Gower, 90). Not used: Okonkwo, Quesada-Thorn, Ferdinand, Julienne.

Butler-Oyedeji, who started the game up front, had the first opportunity as he shot wide after latching onto a cross from Kabia.

MK Dons then provided an indication of their threat, with Joe Pritchard hitting the post.

Kabia had an effort for Arsenal but MK Dons then took the lead as Ellis Harrison found the net with a header following a corner.

Arsenal managed to equalise just four minutes later as Harriman-Annous finished well after Butler-Oyedeji’s initial effort was saved.

In a hugely eventful period of the game, MK Dons then restored their lead as Harrison scored again after catching Lucas Nygaard out.

Remarkably, Arsenal pulled themselves level once more, with Butler-Oyedeji the scorer on this occasion with an emphatic finish following good work from Josh Robinson.

Josh Nichols entered the fray for the second half as he replaced Robinson.

Kabia and Salah-Eddine had attempts early in the second half, with MK Dons then almost being caught out by a dipping corner from Michal Rosiak.

Arsenal came agonisingly close to taking the lead as Butler-Oyedeji struck the post before substitute Rian Silver hit the crossbar for MK Dons.

Changes followed for Arsenal, with Romari Forde and Harrison Dudziak coming on for Kabia and Jimi Gower.

Despite six minutes of added time neither side could take the lead, with a penalty shootout then following.

Rosiak, Salah-Eddine and Dudziak all saw their efforts saved by MK Dons goalkeeper Craig
MacGillivray, with the hosts prevailing 3-1 in the shootout despite Maldini Kacurri scoring his penalty in emphatic style.

Arsenal are second in the table going into their final group game away to Colchester United next month and Mehmet Ali will have been pleased with the professional nature of his side’s second half display tonight following on from the erratic performance against Tottenham.

Harriman-Annous is continuing to make excellent progress. It is rare for a 16-year-old forward to feature for Arsenal at this level and he has made the step up superbly, impressing not only with his finishing but also with his passing and defensive work.

Salah-Eddine also gave a good account of himself and it is clear that Butler-Oyedeji is of great importance to this team. Lewis-Skelly also had some encouraging moments, as did Nichols when he came on.