Arsenal kicked their English Premier League campaign into gear yesterday as Lukas Podolski claimed a brace to help his side claim a 3-1 win over Fulham. PHOTO: AFP
Lukas Podolski claimed a brace as Arsenal kicked their Premier League campaign into gear yesterday with a 3-1 win over Fulham at a sodden Craven Cottage.
Arsene Wenger’s side were beaten at home by Aston Villa on the season’s opening day, but they beat Fenerbahce 3-0 in mid-week in the first-leg of their Champions League play-off and carried that momentum into yesterday’s game.
Heavy downpours in West London made for a saturated playing surface, but it did not stop Arsenal taking the lead in the 14th minute when Olivier Giroud gathered a low shot from Aaron Ramsey and stabbed the ball past Fulham goal-keeper David Stockdale.
Podolski made it 2-0 four minutes before half-time when he side-footed home after Stockdale saved from Theo Walcott, and the Germany forward sealed victory in the 68th minute by gathering a pass from Santi Cazorla and arrowing a shot into the bottom-right corner.
Darren Bent pulled one back for the hosts in the 77th miute, tapping in a low cross from Dimitar Berbatov to mark his debut with a goal following his loan move from Villa.
“It’s never easy to play or win away and we did it in a convincing way,” Arsenal manager Wenger told BT Sport.
“We had a disappointing result against Villa and it was important to respond, and we’ve had two convincing wins, first against Fenerbahce and again today here.”
Mixed fortunes witnessed in other EPL encounters
In other matches of the day, Everton played a goalless game against West Brom, while Hull defeated Norwich 1-0.
Meanwhile, Newcastle were unable to score against West Ham as both teams drew 0-0. Southampton drew with Sunderland 1-1 whereas Stoke beat Crystal Palace 2-1.
Today, Manchester City visit Cardiff City and Tottenham Hotspur host Swansea City, before Chelsea face Manchester United tomorrow.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 25th, 2013.
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