Premier League: Sunderland v Arsenal full time report
Sunderland 1 Arsenal 1
Darren Bent scored deep into stoppage time to salvage a point for Sunderland against a 10 man Arsenal.
Forward Bent profited from slack defending to smash home from close range in the fifth minute of added time, earning the hosts a point that their industry had deserved.
Earlier, Cesc Fabregas’ bizarre early goal had given the Gunners the lead, as the Arsenal captain saw Anton Ferdinand’s attempted clearance loop off him and into the net after just 13 minutes.
The Spaniard limped off shortly afterwards, while Alex Song was dismissed for two bookable offences early in the second period, and Tomas Rosicky blazed a penalty over the crossbar.
The hosts got a late reward for their pressing, although Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger will be disappointed that his team threw away victory when it seemed as though the hard work had been done.
Sunderland were looking for inspiration from last November, when they beat Arsenal 1-0 in one of their best performances of last season, with their groundsman even going as far as to cut the grass in the same pattern as he did that day for good luck. However, fortune wasn’t smiling on the home side in the unlucky 13th minute.
Ferdinand dallied on the ball around 40 yards from goal, and as Gunners captain Fabregas raced to close down the Sunderland defender, Ferdinand slammed the ball against the right foot of the Spaniard, and it looped over Simon Mignolet’s head and into the net for one of the more freakish goals likely to be seen this season. Fabregas was laughing, and you could see why.
Mignolet had to be alert to keep out a Song header shortly after, but the hosts had used their misfortune to spur them on, and Nedum Onuoha should have done better with a free header, before Bent was appealing for a penalty after tangling with Laurent Koscielny. It would have been generous.
The fortunate nature of Arsenal’s goal was lessened a little with the realisation that Fabregas had picked up an injury when Ferdinand struck him with the ball, and after the visiting skipper tried to run off the problem, he eventually gave in and was replaced by Rosicky.
It was the hosts who were playing the better football, and Riveros should have done better from El Mohamady’s terrific cross just before the break.
Marouane Chamakh and Andrey Arshavin both missed chances for the Gunners shortly after the break, and the visitors’ job was about to get much harder.
Song had been walking a tightrope with his persistent fouling, and the midfielder picked up his second booking for an obstruction on Steed Malbranque. He had to walk, not that Wenger – stalking the touchline – thought so.
Arsenal’s Samir Nasri came close with a free kick, but it was Sunderland who were trying to get onto the front foot with their extra man, and Steve Bruce sent on forward Asamoah Gyan in a bid to boost attacking strength.
The action was soon at the other end though, and after El Mohamady clumsily fouled Nasri in the penalty area, Rosicky – in the absence of the substituted Fabregas and Arshavin – was presented with the chance to seal the points for the Gunners from the spot. The Czech didn’t take it, as his powerfully struck penalty clipped the top of the crossbar on its way into the stands.
The Gunners appeared to be closing the game out, but then the Black Cats struck.
Four minutes of added time had been signalled, but in the fifth, poor defending played Sunderland’s forwards onside, and after Arsenal failed to clear, Bent was on hand to slam home a dramatic equaliser from close range as Wenger fumed.
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