Gabriel’s Goal Lifts Arsenal Against Chelsea, Aubameyang

1 year ago
2 mins read

Brazil defender Gabriel was the scorer as Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League in a hard-fought 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge Sunday afternoon as their title aspirations remain alive.

Manchester City had on Saturday beaten Fulham 2-1 to temporarily go on top of the table for 24 hours.

Manager Mikel Arteta in charge of the side for his 150th game in charge remains unbeaten in all of Arsenal’s Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge since he took the reins in December 2019, as his side left with all three points in a game of few clear-cut chances.

The central defender poked a probing goalward-bound looped effort from Bukayo Saka over the line for the only goal of the game in the 63rd minute.

Chelsea had been looking to return to winning ways in the league having been hammered 4-1 at Brighton the previous weekend, with manager Graham Potter suffering his first defeat since he took charge of the club in September.

However, the Blues struggled to impose themselves, and finished with just two shots on target.

Chelsea’s Kai Havertz had the best of the early chances inside the first 10 minutes. After being played in down the left at the edge of the box, he managed to get a shot away, but it did not trouble Aaron Ramsdale in the Arsenal goal.

The Gunners had an opportunity of their own in the 18th minute when Gabriel Martinelli tried his luck from range, but it flew over the bar.

Another chance fell the way of the visitors when Martinelli tried to pick out Gabriel Jesus at the far post, but the Arsenal forward was unable to direct his header from point-blank range goalwards.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, facing his former club for the first time since leaving the Gunners by mutual consent in February, was routinely booed and jeered by the travelling support. He was replaced in the early stages of the second half.

After a quiet first half, he had a half-chance at the start of the second, but his attempted strike was blocked.

Arsenal had looked the more likely to break the deadlock, but they did not have a shot on target until Gabriel made the decisive breakthrough.

Saka’s corner was not dealt with by the Chelsea defence, and it looked on course to be already heading for the back of the net, but Gabriel made sure.

Following the goal, Arsenal looked the most likely to find the net for a second time.

 

READ ALSO: EPL Update: Jesus Shines For Arsenal In Six-goal Thriller, Mixed Fortunes For Manchester Clubs 

 

Martin Odegaard missed an opportunity to add to Arsenal’s tally when he was played in expertly by Jesus on a quick counter-attack.

The Norway international had time to take a touch and create space to shoot from the edge of the box, but his effort sailed over the bar.

Going behind sparked a bit more from Chelsea, as they looked to attack on the break, with Ben White having to get to the ball ahead of the Blues forward line, and Gabriel also hooking the ball clear in the final 10 minutes.

However, the home side did not significantly test Ramsdale in rainy conditions in south-west London.

In stoppage time, Granit Xhaka was lucky to escape booking as he had a flashpoint with Trevoh Chalobah, but referee Michael Oliver refused to flash any cards for the altercation in front of the Arsenal fans.

 

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.

In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.

He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.

Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.

He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.

Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.

Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.

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.

In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.

He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.

Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.

He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.

Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.

Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.


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