Izuchukwu Okosi
Arsenal’s Champions League aspirations were dealt a huge blow Monday night as Mikel Arteta’s side were defeated 3-0 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park reports Prime Business Africa.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelJean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew put the Eagles ahead in the first half before Wilfried Zaha made it 3-0 from the penalty spot in the second half.
Palace’s first goal came from Mateta who leapt high to head the ball past Aaron Ramsdale from a free kick.
Ayew who was in the Black Stars of Ghana team that snatched a 2022 World Cup ticket at the expense of Nigeria last week latched onto a great pass from Joachim Anderson to make it 2-0 with half an hour played.
Arsenal improved massively in the second half in terms of ball possession and even had two clear cut scoring chances that Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Ordegaard failed to convert.
But it was the hosts through Zaha from the penalty spot that scored the next goal.
Palace narrowly lost to Arsenal 3-2 when they met in October 2021 when Alexandre Lacazette scored a, late winner with barely seconds to go.
Arsenal remains in 5th place with 54 points with Tottenham Hotspur ahead in 4th position on a superior goal. Crystal Palace rose to the 9th place on the log with 37 points.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
