Arsenal fight back for point in Kiev


jason
17th September 2008

A late equaliser from captain William Gallas gave Arsenal a point in an entertaining 1-1 draw at Dynamo Kiev in Group G of the Champions League. Ishmael Bangoura had put the hosts ahead on 64 minutes with a controversial penalty after he was fouled by Bacary Sagna.

Until defender Gallas took the initiative to become an impromptu centre-forward, it had looked as if Dynamo were set to hold on for a mini-upset at their home ground.

But the Gunners took the risk of throwing everyone forward and Emmanuel Adebayor fed Theo Walcott on the right, who sent a low far-post cross that Gallas thrashed into the roof of the net from close range.

Arsenal were less than impressive throughout but had the better chances to take the lead in the first half.

Robin van Persie had an early shot saved by Stanislav Bogush, while Adebayor somehow fired over when put clean through by a misplaced Roman Eremenko header.

Van Persie hit the side netting later in the half but the miss of the opening 45 minutes came just before the break when Cesc Fabregas fired weakly at Bogush after he was given a straightforward finish by good work from Van Persie and Adebayor.

If the first half was Arsenal's, the second belonged to Kiev.

They fell apart defensively four minutes into the period when Bangoura was given the freedom of their half to find Eremenko, who in turn had all the time and space he needed to send a low drive fizzing against the woodwork at Manuel Almunia's near post.

Almunia pounced on the rebound before Bangoura could slide onto it, but the writing was on the wall.

The hosts bossed possession and, although Arsenal had chances through Van Perse and Adebayor on the counter, they deserved the opening goal even though the circumstances were suspect.

Gallas had misread the bounce of a long ball, which let Atanda Yussuf find space on the right to feed Bangoura in the box.

The Guinea striker was himself fouling France full-back Sagna by pulling him down with his left hand, but referee Luis Medina Cantalejo's view was obscured and all he saw was the forward going down with the defender.

The decision was poor, but Bangoura's spot-kick was classy, placed low into the bottom right while his body and eyes sent Alumnia to the left.

Arsenal were desperate now. First they went 4-3-3, then 3-4-3 and finally they lumped Gallas up front as they pressed for a leveller.

They almost conceded two more, but Bangoura's general shooting did not match his running or penalty-taking.

But Arsene Wenger's men rode the waves of counter attacks to prove their point in difficult circumstances.

Porto 3-1 Fenerbahce

Porto cruised to a 3-1 win over Fenerbahce thanks to goals from Lisandro Lopez, Lucho Gonzalez and late substitute Lino.

Spaniard Daniel Guiza was on target for the Turkish side as coach Luis Aragones lost his first European match in charge of the Turkish giants.

The Portuguese hosts started brilliantly, putting pressure on their guests and forcing two early saves from Volkan Demirel.

They took the lead on 10 minutes, when Raul Meireles cleverly fed Lisandro, who sprung the Fenerbahce offside trap and finished low into the bottom right.

Porto doubled their advantage three minutes later when, after good work from Cristian Rodriguez on the left, Lucho smashed a half-volley off the ground and past Volkan from the edge of the box.

Lisandro had three great chances to make it 3-0 before, just ahead of the half hour, Guiza stole in at the far post after Volkan had saved well from Alex's header.

The scoreline stayed the time for the next hour, which flattered Fenerbahce, who barely threatened the Porto goal.

But the hosts restored their two-goal advantage when, with the Turks desperately throwing men forward to look for an equaliser, Lino was left unmarked to finish from close range with his first touch of the ball.

By Reda Maher


Add to Google
Technorati tags: arsenalchampions leaguedynamo kiev
Flickr tags: arsenalchampions leaguedynamo kiev

Dynamo Kiev 1 v Arsenal 1 Final Score


jason
17th September 2008

o 90+2 Final whistle! A draw is a fair result, Arsenal come back late to snatch a point. Great entertainment in Kiev!
o 90' Dynamo bring on Kravets to waste some time, they're hanging on now.
o 89' Arsenal are pushing for a winner now, with Adebayor and Vela almost combining...
o 88' Arsenal are throwing caution to the wind here, Gallas has gone up front now, the ball is with Adebayor on the edge of the box, he holds it up for Walcott on the overlap and his cross IS MET BY GALLAS WHO SMASHES IT IN FOR 1-1! Arsenal level, late, late in the day.
o 87' Arsenal are piling it on now which means they have left gaps at the back and there's a huge one here as Bangoura breaks forward but his final ball to the unmarked Eremenko is shocking!
o 85' Dynamo have their backs against the wall as Bendtner is give a chance to shoot but Adebayor was offside off the original ball.
o 84' The corner is sent to Bendtner far post but he heads straight at the keeper! Vela on for Arsenal.
o 83' Havoc after that free-kick sees Denilsin drive it in but a deflection takes it wide for a corner.
o 82' Walcott hares down the right and Vukojevic slides in late and gets a yellow. He's having a go at Walcott too, although jebus knows what for...
o 81' Adebayor has found some space on the right, he hits the byline and swings a cross over for Bendtner but Diakhate cool as a cucumber nods it back to the keeper.
o 78' Eboue on for Sagna, more of a midfielder which means Arsenal are now 3-4-3.
o 75' Arsenal are having a 'mare, Kiev have men over again and Ninkinovic is in the box, he goes down but no penalty and it breaks to Bangoura who hammers a shot in but just wide!
o 74' Arsenal are all over the place now as Eremenko almost gets clean through, but Gallas slides back to save the day.
o 73' Eremenko on the right now, he spots Bangoura on the edge of the box and he finds him but he shoots over!
o 71' Great attacking move by Dynamo, one-touch passing on the edge of the box and then Bangoura takes a silly dive over Toure's leg and he is rightly booked. He could have made that too!
o 70' Bendtner does come on, for Song. 4-3-3 then.
o 69' Dynamo counter from that, the game is really stretched now, but Vujekevic takes a tumble, no foul, Arsenal come again but that breaks down and then the ref blows for something. Frantic stuff now.
o 68' Corner to Arsenal swung in from the right, Bogush is flapping under pressure from Adebayor and out for another corner.
o 66' Vukejevic hobbles off after taking a knock. Arsenal's forwards have been poor today, Wenger needs to make a chance - Vela and Bendtner are available on the bench.
o 65' Arsenal break from the kick-off but Van Persie wastes it on the left.
o 64' Sagna was booked in the aftermath of that incident.
o 63' The dust settles after that and Bangoura to take... and he calmly rolls it into the bottom right for 1-0! Almunia went the other way and Arsenal are rueing some missed chances and that iffy penalty decision.
o 62' Gallas with an error to mis-judge a bouncing ball and Yussuf is in but he has to stand it up on the right to wait for support, he sends a cross in and Bangoura goes down under pressure from Sagna and it's a penalty! Disaster for Arsenal and the replay shows that was NOT a penalty, Bangoura pulled Sagna and went down! Oh dear.
o 59' Bangoura sprints into the Arsenal box but Toure slides back to intervene! Dynamo have woken up this second half.
o 58' A long shot by Fabregas is saved and Dynamo counter, they have men over and it's a typical Kiev counter but the shot is poor.
o 57' Nesmachniy gets the first caution of the match for a late sliding tackle on Walcott.
o 56' Kiev attack now, Yussuf with an excellent through-ball for Bangoura but he snatches at the shot, well wide.
o 54' Fabregas goes wide left to Van Persie who crosses for ADEBAYOR but Bogush flies out to punch clear!
o 52' A loose ball by Vukojevic goes to Walcott, he sprints forward, good run by Walcott who looks wide to Van Persie but with Adebayor free in the box he foolishly shoots over from the angle!
o 51' Toure on the ball, he surges to the halfway line, Sagna cuts in from the right and Toure keeps going, he plays it over to Adebayor who heads towards goal but well over!
o 49' Arsenal have a man down, Bangoura has it and Arsenal are all over the place and Bangoura slips it wide to Eremenko who takes a touch and drills it low and it beats Almunia at the near post and rebounds off the woodwork! Almunua dives onto it before Bangoura can reach the ball, a lucky escape for Arsenal!
o 48' Song gets it off Adebayor, he looks wide to Sagna who slides it through to Van Persie, who's in, but he's also offside!
o 46' Second half underway!


Add to Google
Technorati tags: arsenalchampions leaguedynamo kiev
Flickr tags: arsenalchampions leaguedynamo kiev

Dynamo Kiev 1 Arsenal 1


jason
17th September 2008

Arsenal are throwing caution to the wind here, Gallas has gone up front now, the ball is with Adebayor on the edge of the box, he holds it up for Walcott on the overlap and his cross IS MET BY GALLAS WHO SMASHES IT IN FOR 1-1! Arsenal level, late, late in the day.

Can Arsenal get another?


Add to Google
Technorati tags: arsenalchampions leaguedynamo kiev
Flickr tags: arsenalchampions leaguedynamo kiev

Dynamo Kiev 1 Arsenal 0


jason
17th September 2008

Gallas with an error to mis-judge a bouncing ball and Yussuf is in but he has to stand it up on the right to wait for support, he sends a cross in and Bangoura goes down under pressure from Sagna and it's a penalty! Disaster for Arsenal and the replay shows that was NOT a penalty, Bangoura pulled Sagna and went down! Oh dear

The dust settles after that and Bangoura to take... and he calmly rolls it into the bottom right for 1-0! Almunia went the other way and Arsenal are rueing some missed chances and that iffy penalty decision.


Add to Google
Technorati tags: arsenalchampions leaguedynamo kiev
Flickr tags: arsenalchampions leaguedynamo kiev

Dynamo Kiev v Arsenal First Half 0-0


jason
17th September 2008

Dynamo Kiev v Arsenal First Half 0-0

o 45' Half-time, it stays goalless but Arsenal have had two great chances to take the lead!
o 44' Arsenal are all over Dynamo now, Adebayor is played through on the edge of the area, he tries to shoot but it's blocked, the ball drops back to him though and he shapes to shoot again but spots Van Persie free on the left-hand side of the box and finds him with an exquisite chip and he can score here but sees Fabregas free and plays it to him, he has the goal at his mercy but shotos straigh at Bogush! Arsenal tried to walk it in there, and somehow they failed to score!
o 43' Arsenal attack but Walcott and Van Persie get their wires crossed.
o 41' Kiev come forward now, Yussuf plays a one-two with Aliev and he drills it low but a poor finish, well wide of the far post.
o 40' Arsenal come again, Walcott has it back and he finds Sagna on the overlap and he drills a low ball in for VAN PERSIE ON THE EDGE OF THE BOX WITH THE LOW DRIVE AND IN! But nooo, side-netting, that looked for the world like he'd ripped a hole in the bottom right of the net!
o 39' Walcott with some space on the edge of the box and he tries a shot but blocked. Still with Arsenal though, who build again from the back.
o 37' Van Persie goes in scissors-style on Bangoura a terrible forward's challenge and he is very lucky not to be carded. Free-kick on the left but straight into Almunia's arms.
o 35' Arsenal break and Walcott is in space on the right and he could be in but he's tackled and Dynamo survive.
o 33' Ninkinovic gets in the area and he goes down under a challenge from Sagna and wants a penalty but nothing given! Looked like a dive to be honest.
o 32' The past five minutes have been all Dynamo, with Arsenal deep in their own half. Another promising move breaks down at the final ball and Arsenal, to be honest, seem prepared to deflect anything that comes there way.
o 25' Dynamo get some more of the ball now, with Arsenal defending a bit deeper...
o 22' Van Persie is in space on the left and he finds Adebayor but he can't get it under control and Dynamo clear, still danger but eventually it's back with Bogush in goal.
o 20' Free-kick to Dynamo in a dangerous position just outside the box but straight into the wall and cleared.
o 18' Terrible ball by Eremenko, he gives it away to Adebayor who has a run on goal and he is away from the last defender and must score but a terrible finish! He tried a spectacular curler into the top right corner but sent it over! That was a simple one! Dynamo survive.
o 16' Good play by Walcott, the ball spins to Adebayor on the edge of the box and he almost gets a shot away but blocked by Mykhalyk!
o 14' Bangoura is played clean through but the flag is up and his shot is straight at Almunia.
o 13' A good move by Dynamo, again initiated by Finland international Eremenko, but the final ball doesn't come off and Bangoura is in but cleared!
o 11' Bangoura goes down on the edge of the box as he prepares to unleash a shot but nothing given and Arsenal bring it clear.
o 10' The hosts come back into it a bit more, inspired by an Eremenko backheel on the right and knocking it about in the Arsenal half....
o 8' It's a good delivery between the near post and penalty spot but the header from Toure is blocked and Kiev clear!
o 7' More good play from Arsenal sees them win a corner on the right.
o 4' The corner is defended though. Dynamo have had most of the possession in the early stages but Arsenal with the best opening.
o 3' Almost an opening for Arsenal with Walcott and Van Persie combining and RvP has a pop but tipped behind by Bogush, good save from the replacement for Shovkovskiy, who is benched.
o - Match underway in Kiev!


Add to Google
Technorati tags: arsenalchampions leaguedynamo kiev
Flickr tags: arsenalchampions leaguedynamo kiev