Match report
Cardiff Defeats Arsenal U21 3-1 in EFL Trophy
Cardiff
3–1
FT
Arsenal U21
Nov 11, 2025
Cardiff demonstrated resilience and tactical precision to defeat Arsenal U21 3-1 in the EFL Trophy, marking a significant comeback after falling behind early. The young Arsenal squad, reduced to ten men in the second half, struggled to maintain their lead despite an early goal by M. Washington. Cardiff's T. Perrett, W. Spiers, and T. George were instrumental in their team's victory, securing a crucial win for their club.
Key Facts
- • Match Result: Cardiff 3 - 1 Arsenal U21
- • Early Arsenal Goal: M. Washington (17')
- • Cardiff Goals: T. Perrett (19'), W. Spiers (67'), T. George (90')
- • Red Card: Alexei Rojas (59') for Arsenal U21
- • Yellow Cards: C. Twose (17'), I. Davies (58'), Alyas Debono (50'), W. Lannin-Sweet (90') for Cardiff; L. Copley (39') for Arsenal U21
Lineups
Cardiff
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting XI
- 41 M. Turner (G)
- 57 J. Kingdon (D)
- 50 G. Keita (D)
- 60 A. Debono (D)
- 58 T. Parfitt (D)
- 61 C. Twose (M)
- 59 M. Apter (M)
- 56 W. Spiers (M)
- 62 T. George (M)
- 52 T. Perrett (M)
- 64 D. Ola (F)
Substitutes
- 53 J. Dennis
- 63 I. Davies
- 65 J. Hobson
- 66 L. Pearce
- 67 H. Watts
- 68 R. Hilaire-Clarke
- 69 J. Sykes
Arsenal U21
Formation: 4-1-3-2
Starting XI
- 51 A. Rojas (G)
- 85 J. King (D)
- 77 S. Onyekachukwu (D)
- 54 W. Lannin-Sweet (D)
- 55 M. Washington (D)
- 72 I. Ibrahim (M)
- 45 O. Kamara (M)
- 38 L. Copley (M)
- 53 C. Sagoe Jr (M)
- 39 H. Dudziak (F)
- 71 A. Harriman-Annous (F)
Substitutes
- 47 R. Mitchell
- 48 J. Nichols
- 57 A. Stevens
- 73 T. Julienne
- 75 J. Ogunnaike
- 87 A. Owusu-Gyasi
- 81 B. Bailey-Joseph
Timeline
-
17' Cardiff Card · Yellow CardC. Twose
Foul
-
17' Arsenal U21 Goal · Normal GoalM. Washington · Assist: C. Sagoe Jr
-
19' Cardiff Goal · Normal GoalT. Perrett · Assist: D. Ola
-
39' Arsenal U21 Card · Yellow CardL. Copley
Foul
-
46' Cardiff subst · Substitution 1Off: D. Ola · On: L. Pearce
-
50' Cardiff Card · Yellow CardAlyas Debono
Foul
-
55' Cardiff subst · Substitution 2Off: T-Jay Parfitt · On: I. Davies
-
58' Cardiff Card · Yellow CardI. Davies
Foul
-
59' Arsenal U21 Card · Red CardAlexei Rojas
Professional foul last man
-
61' Arsenal U21 subst · Substitution 1Off: H. Dudziak · On: R. Mitchell
-
62' Arsenal U21 subst · Substitution 2Off: O. Kamara · On: B. Bailey-Joseph
-
67' Cardiff Goal · Normal GoalW. Spiers · Assist: C. Twose
-
72' Arsenal U21 subst · Substitution 3Off: I. Ibrahim · On: T. Julienne
-
72' Arsenal U21 subst · Substitution 4Off: M. Washington · On: J. Ogunnaike
-
79' Cardiff subst · Substitution 3Off: Unknown player · On: J. Sykes
-
86' Arsenal U21 subst · Substitution 5Off: S. Onyekachukwu · On: A. Stevens
-
88' Cardiff subst · Substitution 4Off: T. Perrett · On: H. Watts
-
90'+2 Arsenal U21 Card · Yellow CardW. Lannin-Sweet
Foul
-
90' Cardiff Goal · Normal GoalT. George
Match Stats
| Stat | Cardiff | Arsenal U21 |
|---|---|---|
| Fouls | 18 | 14 |
| Pass Accuracy | 77% | 76% |
| Offsides | 3 | 0 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 1 |
| Total Shots | 14 | 12 |
| Corners | 7 | 5 |
| Total Passes | 424 | 348 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 2 |
| Blocked Shots | 4 | 4 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 2 |
| xG | — | — |
| Shots off Target | 5 | 6 |
| Possession | 55% | 45% |
| Goals Prevented | — | — |
| Accurate Passes | 325 | 263 |
| Shots Inside Box | 5 | 10 |
| Saves | 1 | 2 |
| Shots Outside Box | 9 | 2 |
Key Match Notes
- ▸ Arsenal U21 took an early lead through M. Washington's goal in the 17th minute, but Cardiff responded with a goal by T. Perrett just two minutes later.
- ▸ The turning point came in the 59th minute when Arsenal U21's Alexei Rojas was sent off for a professional foul, leaving the young squad with ten men.
- ▸ Cardiff capitalized on their numerical advantage, scoring two more goals by W. Spiers and T. George to secure a convincing 3-1 victory.