Tamir Cohen’s dramatic last-minute goal ended Arsenal’s fading title hopes as Bolton won 2-1 at the Reebok Stadium.
Robin van Persie had cancelled out Daniel Sturridge’s seventh goal in nine league appearances but, despite bombarding the Bolton defence, Arsenal could not find the winner which would have kept their season alive.
Instead, they were caught out at the back in the dying moments as substitute Cohen pounced at the near post to break Arsenal hearts.
Arsene Wenger’s side is now nine points behind leaders Manchester United with just four games to play.
Do-or-die clash
This was a must-win game as far as Arsenal were concerned and Wenger’s team started as though they meant business.
A sweeping sixth minute involving Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott provided Cesc Fabregas with an early opportunity. But the Arsenal captain fired high and wide off the target and the chance was wasted.
In a see-saw encounter, Samir Nasri wasted another opportunity when he missed the target from 20 yards after the Bolton defence had opened up.
But the hosts took the lead seven minutes before the end of an entertaining first half through Sturridge.
However, Arsenal were back on level terms after Fabregas’s surge forward resulted in Van Persie finding the net from the edge of the area.
Arsenal bombarded the home defence in search of the winner but were sunk when Cohen, who celebrated by taking his shirt off to reveal a picture of his late father Avi Cohen, pounced with a close range header.
Torres overjoyed at ending drought
Meanwhile, Fernando Torres admitted he has been relieved of pressure after he scored his first Chelsea goal in his 14th appearance as Carlo Ancelotti’s side secured a 3-0 victory over West Ham. The Blues remain six points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United.
“I kept working and it’s thanks to all my teammates that I scored. There’s less pressure for me now, now I can enjoy it,” said Torres.
Frank Lampard had given the reigning champions a 44th minute lead and, after Torres broke his duck, Florent Malouda completed the win with a stoppage time strike at Stamford Bridge.
It was Torres’s goal that triggered the loudest cheers as the Spaniard finally found the net for the first time after 733 minutes of action following his British record £50 million transfer from Liverpool in January.
Meanwhile, Ancelotti believes Torres’s goal will herald a new beginning for the striker. “It was perfect. Everyone waited for Fernando to score and he scored,” said Ancelotti.
“For him from now on it will be a new life. I think from this point onwards he will have a fantastic future here in this club.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 25th, 2011.
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