Arteta penalty seals win for Arsenal
Gunners scrape through at Wigan with a 1-0 victory.
LONDON:
A second-half penalty by Mikel Arteta earned Arsenal a 1-0 victory at Wigan Athletic yesterday to give them their second successive away win.
The Spaniard dispatched his spot kick past Wigan goal-keeper Ali Al-Habsi after 60 minutes following Theo Walcott’s tumble in the penalty area under a clumsy challenge from Jean Beausejour. Wigan, third from bottom, had the best chance of a poor first half when Arouna Kone sprinted through on goal but dragged a left-footed shot wide.
Arsenal were more lively after the break and Walcott, who is still to sign a new contract for the club, was denied by Al-Habsi after he was picked out by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Wigan’s response was impressive and they forced Arsenal into some desperate defending on a rain-sodden pitch. Kone had another chance but was denied by Arsenal’s Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny and Dave Jones thumped a shot narrowly wide of the upright with Szczesny rooted to the spot. Arsenal held out, however, to get three vital points in the race fora top-four place.
For all the talk of a crisis enveloping Arsene Wenger’s side after their humiliating League Cup defeat at League Two minnows Bradford, the Gunners have now won their last three league matches and are back in the race to secure a Champions League place.
“It’s a big win for us, that’s three in a row now,” said Arteta. “I am really happy with the points. It was a tough game, the conditions were really difficult.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2012.
A second-half penalty by Mikel Arteta earned Arsenal a 1-0 victory at Wigan Athletic yesterday to give them their second successive away win.
The Spaniard dispatched his spot kick past Wigan goal-keeper Ali Al-Habsi after 60 minutes following Theo Walcott’s tumble in the penalty area under a clumsy challenge from Jean Beausejour. Wigan, third from bottom, had the best chance of a poor first half when Arouna Kone sprinted through on goal but dragged a left-footed shot wide.
Arsenal were more lively after the break and Walcott, who is still to sign a new contract for the club, was denied by Al-Habsi after he was picked out by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Wigan’s response was impressive and they forced Arsenal into some desperate defending on a rain-sodden pitch. Kone had another chance but was denied by Arsenal’s Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny and Dave Jones thumped a shot narrowly wide of the upright with Szczesny rooted to the spot. Arsenal held out, however, to get three vital points in the race fora top-four place.
For all the talk of a crisis enveloping Arsene Wenger’s side after their humiliating League Cup defeat at League Two minnows Bradford, the Gunners have now won their last three league matches and are back in the race to secure a Champions League place.
“It’s a big win for us, that’s three in a row now,” said Arteta. “I am really happy with the points. It was a tough game, the conditions were really difficult.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2012.