New Delhi: Arsenal battled hard to pick up a 2-0 victory over West Ham United at Upton Park on Sunday afternoon.
In a close first-half, West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green denied Arsenal with two excellent saves, while Theo Walcott struck the crossbar. Craig Bellamy came close to scoring for the home side when he was sent through on goal, only to be denied by Almunia.
The Gunners had to be patient to find the goals after Green and the woodwork denied them again in the second period, but they broke the deadlock after a Julien Faubert own goal (75). They put the icing on the cake in stoppage time when Emmanuel Adebayor scored (90), before the Hammers’ day got worse when Carlton Cole was sent-off.
Team News
Midfielders Lee Bowyer and Hayden Mullins returned to West Ham’s starting line-up, as did forward David Di Michele. Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola named an attacking side, which included Craig Bellamy and Carlton Cole as well as Di Michele, with Scott Parker making up a three-man central midfield. James Collins replaced captain Lucas Neill in defence.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger brought forward Nicklas Bendtner and captain William Gallas into his team for the clash in East London, with key players Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure only selected to sit on the substitutes' bench.
The Gunners lined up with a 4-4-2 formation, with Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri on the wings.
First Half
Di Michele had the first effort on goal in the 10th minute as Manuel Almunia tipped his long-range shot, struck with an element of surprise as he found himself in space, over the crossbar.
Arsenal responded two minutes later after Bendtner and Cesc Fabregas displayed some neat interplay before the Dane could only manage a tame shot wide of the far post.
Walcott then came within inches of scoring after he ran at pace at the West Ham defence before striking the top of the bar with an effort from a tight angle.
Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green received a huge let-off moments later as he handled the ball outside the penalty box when claiming a through ball Bendtner was chasing, but the officials gave nothing.
The visitors continued to be dominant and Green was put to work in the 25th minute as he did well to save a Walcott effort from close-range after some superb build-up play by Fabregas and Robin van Persie.
Just as it seemed Arsenal had complete control over proceedings, an excellent piece of play by Parker almost gave the Hammers an unlikely lead. After nicking the ball from Alex Song, the midfielder played a neat one-two before springing Bellamy free with an outstanding pass.
The Wales captain took the ball well and bore down on goal at pace, but was denied by a reaction save from Almunia after carrying the ball into the area.
In an end-to-end half, Green was forced into another smart save after Bendtner turned Collins and unleashed a shot towards the far corner, with the ex-Norwich City ’keeper needing his fingertips to prevail again.
At half-time both sides went in reasonably happy with their efforts, with the Gunners perhaps disappointed they were not able to take any of their chances, with the home side able to grow in prominence as the half progressed.
Second Half
The second half got off to a quiet start in terms of goal-mouth action, but the intensity of the match was clear to see for all.
It wasn’t until the 65th minute when the next good chance was created. Walcott surged past two men on the right and cut the ball back well to van Persie, who shot at power but saw his effort well blocked by Bowyer. Wenger made two changes in his search for a winner with Adebayor and Abou Diaby replacing Walcott and Nasri.
Adebayor almost made an instant impact, but his header from van Persie’s corner fell narrowly wide of the post. The Dutchman then created the best opportunity of the half when he turned inside and struck a venomous drive towards the far post, and was only denied by another super stop by Green as the Gunners finally lifted the tempo going forward.
Van Persie was not perturbed though and came inches away from a goal again in the 73rd minute. He hit a free-kick from a challenging angle superbly and as the ball swerved past Green, only the inside of the post could deny him the game’s opener.
The deserved breakthrough finally arrived with 15 minutes to go. Van Persie was again involved as he fed Adebayor, who weaved past two players and flashed a shot across the face of goal. The effort was going wide, but Hammers right-back Julien Faubert was not sure and as he tried to deal with it, he could only divert the ball past Green for a heart-breaking own goal.
Zola threw on Luis Boa Morte and Matthew Etherington in his side’s search for an equaliser but it was the Gunners who created the next clear chance. Adebayor, making a major impact, combined with Bendtner and forced Green into a save and then blazed the re-bound over the bar from a tight angle.
Bellamy shot straight at Almunia and Collins fired over in two separate long-range opportunities, but generally Arsenal were seeing out the match very professionally.
They were able to put the icing on the cake in stoppage time when as West Ham threw players forward in search of a late leveller, Arsenal cleared the ball and found Bendtner in space. The Dane then looked up and terrifically picked out Adebayor, who rounded the onrushing Green and slotted into an empty net.
To make matters worse for Zola and his side, Cole was sent off for a late challenge on Song in the 93rd minute. At full-time the Gunners celebrated an efficient performance which saw them keep a clean-sheet and pick up three important away Premier League points.
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