Arsenal U21 drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace U21 in their Premier League 2 Division One fixture at the Emirates on Friday evening. The result leaves both sides with a single point from their opening match of the campaign. Arsenal remain winless after two games, while Palace have accumulated four points from two outings.
Palace took the lead through A. Harriman-Annous in the sixty-fourth minute, but Arsenal responded almost immediately. Z. Gozo had given the hosts an advantage just minutes earlier, firing in at the fifty-minute mark. Harriman-Annous was also booked for Palace in the seventh minute before his equaliser.
And here's the thing about this match — Arsenal had the edge in possession and territory, but Palace were more clinical with their opportunities. The visitors registered three shots on target compared to Arsenal's four, yet they converted their moment of quality when it mattered.
Both managers made several changes as the game progressed. Arsenal brought on J. Ogunnaike and A. Nascimento in the seventy-second minute, while Crystal Palace introduced T. Julienne on the hour and eighteenth minute. Z. Gozo came off for Arsenal in the seventy-second minute after scoring.
To be fair, Arsenal dominated the attacking numbers with thirty-eight attacks to Palace's twenty-seven. The hosts earned eleven corners against just two for the visitors. But many shots go begging when you're not converting your chances.
The result means Arsenal stay bottom of Division One on two points from two draws. Crystal Palace sit seventh with four points, having secured their first victory of the season in a previous fixture. By then, Palace had already shown they could take points away from home.