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Sport

EPL: Arsenal’s top-four hopes dented by defeat at Wolves

Arsenal

Wolverhampton (UK), April 24, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Arsenal’s fragility on the road returned as a 3-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday put a huge dent in their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Arsenal needed only a point to reclaim fourth spot from Chelsea but conceded three times before the break.

Unai Emery’s side were stunned as Wolves recovered from a slow start to take the lead with a stunning Ruben Neves free kick before Matt Doherty headed a second in the 37th minute.

It got even worse for Arsenal in first-half stoppage time as they carelessly gave the ball away in midfield and Diogo Jota surged through to fire a shot past Bernd Leno.

A late Sokratis header from Granit Xhaka’s cross was scant consolation for the Gunners fans who had made the trip to the Midlands.

With three games left, Arsenal remain in fifth place, a point behind Chelsea and four behind third-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Wolves moved into seventh spot — a position that could offer a route into European football next season. (Reuters/NAN)

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Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh and Ephraims Sheyin

Sport

Magnificent Lacazette free-kick sends Arsenal into Europa League semi-finals

Lacazette

Naples (Italy), April 18, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) A magnificent Alexandre Lacazette free-kick sent Arsenal into the 2018/2019 UEFA Europa League semi-finals with a comfortable 1-0 win away to a toothless Napoli on Thursday.

Arsenal’s win ended Serie A’s interest in European competition this season.

The Frenchman struck in the 36th minute to earn Arsenal a tie against Valencia.

Napoli were trailing 2-0 from the first leg, and they were threatening to take control of the game.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team lost their way after that.

Arsenal were then able to sit out the second half to reach the semi-finals for the second season in a row with a 3-0 aggregate win.

In a lively opening half hour, Napoli threatened to make a breakthrough as Jose Callejon’s effort was saved by Petr Cech’s legs.

Arkadiusz Milik also had a goal chalked off for offside.

The Pole should have put Napoli ahead minutes later when compatriot Piotr Zielinski’s cross found him unmarked in the penalty area, but he headed wide.

Arsenal also lost Aaron Ramsey to an apparent hamstring problem.

But just as it seemed things were going against them, they went ahead as Lacazette curled his free-kick around a poorly-organised wall from 25 metres.

Arsenal should have wrapped up the game four minutes into the second half.

But Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with only Alex Meret to beat, placed his shot too near the goalkeeper.

The second half petered out after that as Arsenal sat back and Napoli enjoyed most of the possession but did little with it.

Lorenzo Insigne shot weakly at Cech after getting clear of the Arsenal defence and was immediately substituted.

It was a decision which infuriated the forward who watched the rest of the match on the touchline with his arms folded.

Fabian Ruiz summed up their evening by firing their last chance wildly over the crossbar in stoppage time.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

EPL: Freakish goal gives Arsenal 1-0 win at 10-man Watford

Arsenal

Watford (UK), April 15, 2019 (Arsenal/NAN) Arsenal boosted their hopes of a top-four finish in the English Premier League after a bizarre 10th-minute goal by striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave them a 1-0 win at 10-man Watford on Monday.

The result lifted the Gunners two places up to fourth on 66 points from 33 games, ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea on goal difference and two points in front of sixth-placed Manchester United.

Watford stayed 10th with 46 points.

The fast-paced clash took a decisive turn in a frantic one-minute spell early on, as Aubameyang found the back of the net in unlikely fashion.

And then Watford striker Troy Deeney was shown a straight red card for elbowing Lucas Torreira.

The home side’s goalkeeper Ben Foster dwelled on Daryl Janmaat’s back pass for too long, allowing Aubameyang to close him down and block his attempted goalmouth clearance.

The ball agonisingly ricocheted into the back of the net.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Watford kept pressing and missed a string of chances to draw level.
They were twice denied by the woodwork as well as by some good saves from Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno.

Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan also came close at the other end,but Arsenal were forced to hang on in the closing stages with Watford throwing men forward. (Reuters/NAN)

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Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

Sport

We’re in a good moment, Arsenal manager Emery says

Arsenal
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, April 2, 2019 (NAN) Arsenal manager Unai Emery on Monday expressed delight at the performance of his boys against Newcastle United, saying the team was in a good moment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that goals from Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette gave Arsenal a 2-0 win over Newcastle United on Monday.

The win lifted them to third place in the English Premier League (EPL) above rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

“We were very consistent over 90 minutes. We didn’t concede any chances. We created and dominated the match. We are happy,” Emery told reporters in his post-match reaction.

“Each match is very difficult. We got three points and did it our way. It’s a nice challenge to win consecutive matches, it’s a new history and we’re creating our own way.

“We’re in a good moment. but each match is a new test.

“I hope Ramsey’s injury is not serious. The doctor is thinking it’s a small injury.

“We are improving. Today we are third, but the next match against Everton is difficult and our rivals are going to win a lot of matches,” he said.

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez, on his part, admitted that his boys played against a better team, adding that there were little or no allowance for error when playing against a top side like Arsenal.

“We played against a good team and were fine for a while in the first half. We could avoid their goal, it was a little bit lucky.

“We had situations on the counter attack where we could be more dangerous, but we didn’t do it.

“The last 10 minutes they had chances to score but until the second goal we were pushing. It is a shame because you could feel the atmosphere was getting nervous.

“When you play top sides away it can be a mistake which makes the difference. In the end it was a mistake and we must learn from this and be ready for the next one.

“I think 38 points is enough [to stay up], 40 just in case. Hopefully it will be less,” he said.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Arsenal climb to third with victory over Newcastle United

Arsenal

London, April1, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Goals from Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette gave Arsenal a 2-0 win over Newcastle United on Monday.

The win lifted the north London side to third place in the Premier League above rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

Ramsey found his way through a packed defence on the half hour following a sweeping move.

The Welsh midgkedmid found Lacazette and raced forward into the area to meet the return pass with a sweetly timed left-foot shot that went in off the far post.

Lacazette put the game to bed in the 83rd minute when Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles failed to clear a header into the area from Arsenal substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Frenchman nipped in behind Lascelles and chipped an inch-perfect ball over keeper Martin Dubravka to seal the win.

The result put Arsenal on 63 points, two ahead of Spurs and Manchester United, with London rivals Chelsea a further point behind.

The win ensured that Arsenal keep alive their hopes of a top-four finish and qualification for Champions League football next season.

Newcastle remain in 14th place on 35 points. (Reuters/NAN)

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Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

Sport

Europa League: Arsenal slump in Rennes, Sevilla held by Slavia Prague

Europa League
London, March 7, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Arsenal took an early lead but a red card for Sokratis Papastathopoulos changed the game as the Gunners slumped to a 3-1 defeat at Rennes.

In all, it was a night of tightly-contested Europa League last 16 first leg ties on Thursday.

Villarreal and Dinamo Zagreb also won and the other two early games, Sevilla versus Slavia Prague and Eintracht Frankfurt versus Inter Milan, ended all square.

Arsenal had never lost to French opposition away from home in 12 previous European games and they took an early lead.

What looked like a cross from Alex Iwobi evaded everyone and sneaked in at the far post early on.

Playing in their change turquoise-green shirts, the English side looked to be in control.

However, the match changed completely four minutes before half-time when Papastathopoulos was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Rennes equalised from the resulting free-kick when Benjamin Bourigeaud rifled home at the second attempt and they came out for the second half looking far more positive than the London side.

The French side went ahead 20 minutes into the second half when Mehdi Zeffane’s shot looped off defender Nacho Monreal into the net.

Ismaila Sarr made it 3-1 two minutes from time when he powered home a header from a lovely curling left-wing cross.

Sevilla, who have won the Europa League three times, twice went ahead against Slavia Prague but were pegged back on both occasions in a pulsating 2-2 draw in Spain.

Wissam Ben Yedder put the home side ahead in the first minute and although Miroslav Stoch equalised with a deflected shot, Munir restored Sevilla’s lead.

Alex Kral put the visitors level again six minutes before halftime when he turned a corner into the net.

Fellow Spaniards Villarreal had a happier evening in St Petersburg and will take a solid 3-1 lead into the second leg at home.

Villarreal, third bottom of La Liga, went ahead against Zenit after 33 minutes when Vicente Iborra headed home from a free kick.

But the home side took only two minutes to level thanks to Sardar Azmoun, whose quick thinking allowed him to stab home from close range.

The Spaniards, though, took control in the second half, with Gerard Moreno putting them 2-1 ahead after 64 minutes and Manu Morlanes added the third.

Bruno Petkovic scored a penalty kick for Dinamo Zagreb to give them a 1-0 home win over Benfica while in the only game between two former winners of the UEFA Cup.

Eintracht Frankfurt were held 0-0 at home by Inter Milan.

It was the first time Eintracht, who have won seven of their eight Europa League matches this season, failed to score.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Kane, Lloris help rescue EPL point for Tottenham against Arsenal

Draw
London, March 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a 90th minute penalty kick as a scrappy north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur ended in a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Hugo Lloris got down low to keep out the substitute’s poor kick and rescue a below par Tottenham who had equalised in the 74th minute through Harry Kane’s penalty kick.

Arsenal, bidding to close the gap to their arch-rivals to one point, had taken the lead in the 16th minute when Aaron Ramsey broke clear after a mistake by Davinson Sanchez.

Kane had a first-half header ruled out for offside, but Tottenham struggled to create chances as a third English Premier League defeat in succession for the first time since 2012 loomed.

Alexandre Lacazette had wasted a good chance to make it 2-0 to Arsenal, but it was the man who replaced him, Aubameyang, who cost his side victory.

The Gabonese hit a poorly-struck penalty kick after Sanchez was adjudged to have fouled him.

A niggly game ended with Arsenal’s other substitute Lucas Torreira being red-carded for a high tackle on Danny Rose.

Tottenham’s first league draw of the season left them third on the table, four points above Arsenal.

Arsenal themselves can be overtaken by Manchester United if they beat Southampton later in the day.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Arsenal lose at BATE as Inter, Sevilla, Benfica win in Europa League

Europa League

London, Feb. 14, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat at BATE Borisov on a night forward Alexandre Lacazette will want to forget after being sent off late on in the first legs of the Europa League last 32 on Thursday.

There was no such problem for heavyweights Inter Milan, Sevilla and Benfica as they all won away.

Arsenal had scored 10 goals in two matches against BATE Borisov in the same competition in 2017 but never looked like being as prolific in the freezing temperatures of Belarus.

BATE took the lead when Stanislav Dragun nodded a free kick past Arsenal goalkeeper Peter Cech seconds before halftime.

The gaol came shortly after Lacazette put a header wide midway through the first half.

The Frenchman thought he had made up for his miss 10 minutes after the break but his effort was ruled out for offside.

To compound his misery Lacazette was shown a red card five minutes from time for felling Aleksandar Filipovic with an elbow after the defender held him back and was also booked.

Elsewhere, Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez netted a 39th minute penalty to secure a 1-0 win at Rapid Vienna.

Sevilla also beat Lazio by the same scoreline in Rome thanks to Wissam Ben Yedder’s close-range strike in the 22nd.

In the only tie featuring two teams who dropped down from the Champions League, visitors Benfica beat Galatasaray 2-1 after taking the lead in the 27th minute when Salvio converted a penalty given for handball.

Christian Luyindama equalised for the home side nine minutes into the second period but Benfica’s top scorer Haris Seferovic clinched the win with a fine solo goal 10 minutes later.

Only five of the 16 teams in action managed to score more than one goal with six of the night’s 16 coming in Stade Rennais’ thrilling 3-3 draw with Real Betis.

The French club were making their first knockout round appearance in Europe but they were not overawed by a team that came through the group stages unbeaten.

Winger Adrien Hunou put the home side ahead after two minutes and doubled their lead eight minutes later when Javi Garcia put through his own goal.

Betis got one back after 32 minutes when Giovani Lo Celso scored but Hatem Ben Arfa restored Rennais’ two-goal cushion right on halftime with a penalty.

Betis had the better of the second half and Sidnei made it 3-2 with a header before Mexican teenager Diego Lainez got the goal their pressure deserved right on the final whistle.

Dynamo Kiev scored in the last minute to salvage a 2-2 draw at Olympiakos Piraeus.

Im Russia, home team Krasnodar drew 0-0 at home to Bayer Leverkusen, while Slavia Prague versus Genk also finished goalless. On Tuesday Fenerbahce beat Zenit 1-0.

Eight more ties take place later on Thursday. (Reuters/NAN)

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Sport

Iwobi, Lacazette help Arsenal to EPL win at Huddersfield

Arsenal
Huddersfield (UK), Feb. 9, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Arsenal returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over bottom side Huddersfield Town on Saturday in the English Premier League (EPL).

The north London side are however the only side without an away clean sheet in the EPL this season.

Arsenal had suffered four defeats in their last nine league games, including a 1-3 loss at Manchester City last week.

But Nigeria’s Alex Iwobi put them ahead in the 16th minute with a deflected shot.

Huddersfield pressed and harried but rarely troubled the Arsenal goal in the first half.

The difference in quality showed as the visitors doubled their advantage through Alexandre Lacazette’s 10th league goal of the season a minute before halftime.

Adama Diakhaby had two good chances to get Huddersfield — who had drawn once and lost 11 of their previous 12 league games — back into the match.

But he failed to really test Bernd Leno in the Arsenal goal.

Sead Kolasinac put through his own net in stoppage time to give Huddersfield late hope.

It was Huddersfield’s first goal in over nine hours of football in all competitions, but the visitors held on for the win.

Victory moved Arsenal level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea, who play Manchester City on Sunday, while Huddersfield stayed bottom, 13 points from safety.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Aguero hat-trick fires Manchester City to 3-1 win over Arsenal

Hat-trick
Manchester (UK), Feb. 3, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick led Manchester City to a 3-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday and back into second place in the English Premier League (EPL).

The defending champions are now two points behind leaders Liverpool.

The victory put the pressure on Liverpool, ahead of their trip to West Ham United on Monday.

Juergen Klopp’s side have 61 points, with champions Manchester City on 59 points and Tottenham Hotspur on 57 points.

Aguero gave Manchester City the lead after 48 seconds with a stooping header, after Aymeric Laporte had robbed Alex Iwobi and whipped in a cross.

Manchester City were dominant, but the Gunners got back on level terms in the 11th minute.

That was when Nacho Monreal flicked on a Lucas Torreira corner kick and defender Laurent Koscielny headed in from two yards out.

Aguero struck again just before the break, tapping in a low cross from Raheem Sterling, who had combined well with Ilkay Gundogan in the build-up.

Manchester City’s record scorer wrapped up the win, with Sterling again the provider.

But as Aguero slid in to meet his low cross, the ball appeared to go in off his arm.

It was Aguero’s 10th hat-trick in the EPL, a record bettered only by Alan Shearer who scored 11.

The Argentine striker has netted 20 goals in all competitions this season — the sixth straight campaign he has reached that tally.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)