Arsenal youth signing keeps 1st clean sheet in u18 win | OneFootball

The Arsenal u18s got back to winning ways away to West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday, with Remi Lupinski keeping his first clean sheet for his new club.

Photo via Arsenal.com

17-year-old Arsenal youth goalkeeper Remi Lupinski signed for the Gunners from MK Dons last summer, joining on a scholarship deal, but he’s had to be patient waiting for starting opportunities.

After making his debut in a 4-2 win over Ipswich Town in September, Lupinski didn’t get any further starts in the u18 Premier League until this month, when he made the lineup in a defeats to Brighton and Ipswich Town.

As a result, the goalkeeper was still waiting on his first clean sheet when he was named in the starting lineup for just the fourth time away to West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday.

Photo via MK Dons on Twitter

Fortunately, it was Arsenal rather than West Brom who got on the scoresheet early on, with Maalik Hashi firing in a long-distance free-kick. West Brom were lucky not to go down to 10 men, as their goalkeeper seemed to deny a clear goalscoring opportunity with the initial foul.

Arsenal went in 1-0 up at half-time, but it took a double save from Lupinski to deny the hosts an equaliser early in the second.

West Brom went even closer to a goal late on, with Lupinski tipping a header onto the crossbar, but the former Milton Keynes man secured his clean sheet and Arsenal took all three points.

Photo via Arsenal.com

“I’m really, really pleased with the personality I saw on the pitch,” u18 boss Adam Birchall said afterwards. “That character was there in abundance throughout the performance.

“Defensively, the players were outstanding – putting their bodies on the line, defending as a collective, and fully deserving the win.”

Arsenal had been on a poor run of results leading up to the game, losing their previous three against Norwich City, Brighton, and Ipswich. Now that they’re back to winning ways, they’ll look to build some momentum in their next match against Fulham.

Arsenal u18 lineup vs West Bromwich Albion

Lupinski, Pedro, Murisa, Stachow, Mbala, Bailey-Joseph, Hashi, Nwaneri, Nduka, Thompson,  Zecevic-John

Substitutes

Marciniak (for Nwaneri, 55), Owusu-Gyasi (for Nduka, 55), Sampang (for Thompson, 55), B. Phillips (for Bailey-Joseph, 73), C. Phillips