Arsenal Under-18s to face Chelsea in FA Youth Cup Final

Arsenal’s Under-18s set up an all-London FA Youth Cup Final with Chelsea as they cruised to a 5-0 win over Blackpool at the Emirates Stadium.

Blackpool had claimed the scalps of Southampton and Blackburn in earlier rounds, while their formidable appetite for a contest in the first leg of the semi-final helped them twice battle back from behind to claim a 2-2 draw at Bloomfield Road.

But on home turf Arsenal’s quality told with Emile-Smith Rowe dictating play from midfield, and Xavier Amaechi’s searing pace sending him flying through the Tangerines defence at will.

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By the time the first goal came Arsenal could already have been cruising to the final. Fol Balogun had spurned two presentable chances before Amaechi tore past Blackpool right-back Tom Williams, flashing a cross in from the left for Arsenal’s No.7 to tap home.

The floodgates had burst open and Danny Ballard soon doubled Arsenal’s lead, heading home Amaechi’s corner at close range.

A five-minute triple salvo ended midway through the first half when a poor clearance from Blackpool dropped at the feet of Robbie Burton, whose shot took enough of a deflection to leave Craig Thordarson stranded in the visiting goal.

Arsenal had saved the best for last however, Smith-Rowe embarking on a run from within his own half that saw him leave half a dozen Blackpool defenders in varying degrees of befuddlement as he drove from his own half into the area.

It seemed almost disrespectful when a trailing leg brought him down for a penalty that he duly converted.

Amaechi and Tyreece John-Jules both went close in the early exchanges of the second half but Arsenal scarcely needed to break out of walking pace to hold Blackpool at bay, with substitute Matthew Smith wrapping up the win in added time.

Arsenal's place in the two-legged final later this month confirmed Kwame Ampadu’s side now face the not inconsiderable challenge of ending Chelsea’s four-year reign as FA Youth Cup winners. If Smith-Rowe and Amaechi fire as they did tonight, it is certainly not beyond them.