Fulham’s under 21s bounced back from their drubbing at Southampton in fine fashion by winning a thrilling London derby against Arsenal 6-3 at Motspur Park this afternoon.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi hit a hat-trick and Kristian Sekularac bagged a brace with Fulham’s final goal going down as an Arsenal own goal – scored by the unfortunate defender Zane Monlouis – as Hayden Mullins’ men produced a spirited display to keep in touch with Manchester City at the top of the PL2 table.
An end-to-end encounter saw the young Whites go close to drawing first blood when winger Terrell Works seized upon a defensive mistake and set up Sekularac for an early sight of goal but the former Juventus midfielder’s measured shot was palmed aside by Arsenal goalkeeper Lucas Nygaard. It was the visitors who took the lead on eleven minutes when Gunners’ winger Ismail Oulad M’Hand stabbed a shot beyond Alex Borto after some poor defending from the hosts.
Borto then almost gave Arsenal a two-goal cushion when his poor clearance fell at the feet of Salah Oulad M’Hand but the American goalkeeper redeemed himself by making a magnificent diving save. Both sides sought to play out from the back but the tactic seemed to only play into the hands of their opponents as Loupalo-Bi gleefully robbed Came’ron Ismail of the ball before drilling the equaliser efficiently past a helpless Nygaard.
Sekularac then produced a moment of magic to put the young Whites ahead four minutes later. Brad de Jesus got well forward down the left flank and fed the Swiss youth international with a clever pass but Sekularac still had plenty to do faced by three blue shirts. Some silky footwork took him away from a couple of challenges in an instant before he rolled the ball under the advancing Nygaard to put Fulham in front.
The hosts stretched their advantage on the half hour mark when the lively Loupalo-Bi, playing as a central striker in this lunchtime fixture, was quickest to react when right back Ollie Gofford’s shot was pushed out by Nygaard. Arsenal were far from shellshocked and reduced their arrears within five minutes when Salah Oulad M’Hand stroked a superb finish into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area after picking up a pass from Jimi Gower.
The Gunners began the second period on the front foot and should have levelled through Khayon Edwards but the striker’s chipped effort dropped agonisingly wide of the target after he had latched onto a lovely through ball from Gower. Sekularac made Arsenal pay by scoring his second of the afternoon from Fulham’s next attack, finishing fabulously off the post with another well-taken effort from the edge of the box.
Nygaard then denied Works a deserved goal with a fine save before Borto did brilliantly to thwart the lively Ismail Oulad M’Hand’s hopes of a second goal. Edwards looked to have set up a grandstand finish when he converted a free-kick at the far post with eighteen minutes to go, but in keeping with an open contest Fulham elected to keep attacking rather than sit on their slender lead. Loupalo-Bi completed his hat-trick with three minutes remaining when he raced clear of the Arsenal defence having been played through by substitute Lemar Gordon and the home side’s sixth of an eventful afternoon arrived in the first minute of added time when Monlouis inadvertently turned Gordon’s cross into his own net.
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Borto; Gofford, de Jesus, Nsasi, Amissah; Donnell, Sekularac; Lanquendoc (Gordon 73), Works (Esenga 80), Olyott (Nwoko 70); Loupalo-Bi (Wingate 90). Subs (not used): Underwood.
BOOKED: Olyott.
GOALS: Loupalo-Bi (20, 30, 87), Sekularac (24, 55), Monlouis (o.g. 90+1).
ARSENAL UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Nygaard; Rosiak, Kamara, Monlouis, Ismail; Dudziak, Gower; Ferdinand, I. Oulad M’Hand (Hashi 84), S. Oulad M’Hand; Edwards. Subs (not used): Chapman, Oknokwo, Oyetunde, Sampang.
BOOKED: Rosiak.
GOALS: I. Oulad M’Hand (11), S. Oulad M’Hand (35), Edwards (72).
REFEREE: Paul Johnson.
