England-born Ghanaian youngster Gideon Kodua was on target as West Ham United came from a goal down to beat Arsenal in the Emirates FA Cup Youth final.
Omari Benjamin put Jack Wilshire’s Gunners ahead early on, but a spectacular George Earthy strike into the top corner brought West Ham level.
Callum Marshall finished off Gideon Kodua’s fizzing cross before captain Kodua’s spectacular lob over Noah Cooper made it 3-1 before the break.
With 12 minutes remaining, Kaelan Casey nodded home Ollie Scarles’ cross to make it 4-1, and Josh Briggs completed the scoring in front of 34,124 supporters at Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal, attempting to win the Cup for the first time since 2009, maintained strong pressure early in the second half but failed to create any significant chances to cut the gap.
Not long after halftime, Amario Cozier-Duberry hit the crossbar before Michal Rosiak’s thunderous shot was saved by Hammers custodian Mason Terry.
West Ham have now won the Youth Cup four times, having also won it in 1963, 1981, and 24 years ago when Michael Carrick and Joe Cole were part of a team that defeated Coventry City 9-0 over two legs.
