Arsenal dropped two valuable points at home on Saturday, as they played out a 3-3 draw with Norwich City in an important league match, which dragged the race for a top four finish to the very last day.
The Gunners went ahead through a wonderful goal from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Yossi-Benayoun-c37520 in the 2nd minute, but were stunned by a double-strike from the Canaries just before the half hour mark. Even though the hosts seemed to be heading for a sensational win after
a late brace from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Robin-van-Persie-c31380 put them ahead with just 10 minutes to go, Steve Morrison grabbed the equalizer in the 85th minute to salvage a point for his team.
The draw kept Arsenal at the third place with 67 points, after Tottenham Hotspur failed to make the most out of the slip-up from the Gunners and were themselves held on to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa at Villa Park. Spurs are now a point less than Arsene Wenger’s
side and lead the fifth placed Newcastle United by a single point.
Benayoun, who celebrated his 32nd birthday on Saturday, got the Gunners off to a perfect start as he grabbed the opener with just a minute on the clock. The Israeli International cut inside the visitors’ box from the left, and unravelled a stinger
at the far post to score his fifth goal for http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-c38429 in 25 appearances.
However, the Canaries struck back immediately in the 11th minute through http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Kyle-Naughton-c21563 darted forward from the left flank and played the ball towards the Irish footballer, whose shot found the back of the net after the Gunners’
goalkeeper, Szczesny failed to keep out the ball.
Rejuvenated after scoring the equalizer, the visitors started to play more freely and Grant Holt put them in front in the 27th minute. The striker picked up Hoolahan close to the half-line who then charged forward and played a return pass to the
English International, whose effort somehow looped over a helpless Szczesny, after taking a deflection of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Kieran-Gibbs-c20945.
Arsenal started the second half on an ominous note and came close through Van Persie and Benayoun. The Dutchman slid in to meet a low cross from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Bacary-Sagna-c7148 but his effort went just a whisker away, while a header from Benayoun was denied by a good save
from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/John-Ruddy-c18892.
The home side kept on asking questions of the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alex-Song-c4804 picked up the Gunners ace close to the six yards box with his looping pass, who directed
the ball towards the goal for an easy finish with his first touch.
The Netherland International then put his side in the lead eight minutes later, as he collected a wonderful pass from Tomas Rosicky inside the area, and slotted the ball into the middle of the goal.
However, the celebrations at the Emirates stadium proved to be short lived as Morison grabbed the equalizer just five minutes from time with a thunderous low shot in the left corner, to deny the Gunners a much needed in.
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