EPL: 10 man Arsenal fight back to earn 2-2 draw against Tottenham
The North London derby produced another Premier League classic, as 10 man Arsenal and Tottenham shared the spoils of a wonderdul encounter. Aaron Ramsey gave the visitors the lead in the 39th minute, while a 55th minute red card for Coquelin allowed Tottenham to score 2 goals in 2 minutes, courtesy Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane. Alexis Sanchez ended his goal drought in the 76th minute to earn a crucial point for Arsenal.
Lineups:
Tottenham XI: Lloris (c); Walker, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose; Dembele, Dier; Lamela, Eriksen, Alli; Kane
Arsenal XI: Ospina; Bellerin, Gabriel, Mertesacker (c), Gibbs; Coquelin, ElNeny; Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez; Welbeck
First Half: Arsenal take an unlikely lead
White Hart Lane was at it’s noisiest as the game kicked off, and Tottenham started the game in their typical high-pressing fashion, not allowing Arsenal any time on the ball as the white shirts swarmed around the Gunners. A quick throw in gave Spurs their first opportunity, as Dele Alli chested the ball to face Ospina, although Bellerin cleared the ball off him and with the crowd groaning at the near-miss.
Tottenham had more of the ball as Arsenal struggled to get the ball out of the box, with Harry Kane testing Ospina twice in the following minutes. Tottenham clearly looked like they were under instructions to test Ospina from range, as the home side peppered his goal with long range efforts, with Eriksen shooting directly from a free-kick at the Colombian in the 17th minute.
Ospina proved his credentials in the 26th minute, making a stunning save from a Erik Lamela effort from eight yards out. Dele Alli had sent in a low cross from the right, with Lamela running onto the ball and diverting towards goal with a deft touch, but Ospina stretched every sinew to make a reaction save when White Hart Lane looked set to erupt in joy.
The game settled into a familiar pattern, with Coquelin & Lamela going into the book as the North London derby began to get fiesty. Arsenal gradually began to assert themselves as the half ended, and flipped the script with a wonderful goal from Aaron Ramsey in the 39th minute.
Danny Welbeck burst down the wing and squared the ball for an onrushing Bellerin, who calmly played it across goal to Ramsey. The pass was a bit behind the Welshman, but he improvised brilliantly, hooking the ball with a backheel into the net, giving Arsenal an unlikely 1-0 lead.
Danny Welbeck went close to doubling Arsenal’s lead minutes later, but his glancing header lacked the power to beat Lloris in goal. The referee blew the whistle to bring a high-tempo first hal to an end with Arsenal undoubtedly the happier side.
Second Half: Red card changes the game
Arsenal began the second half in confident fashion, and Alexis had a chance to double the lead but his control let him down after a long ball sent him bearing down on goal. The game was completely turned on his head in the 55th minute, as Francis Coquelin was sent off for a needless foul on Harry Kane as the Englishman countered.
White Hart Lane rose in noise as Tottenham smelled blood, and they nearly equalized moments later, as the ball fell to Kane at the far post from a corner, but Ospian made a great save, with the ball inches away from crossing the line.
It didn’t matter as right on the hour mark, Lamela’s blocked shot from a corner fell to Toby Alderweireld in the box, and the Belgian centre-back produced a wonderful finish across goal from a narrow angle to equalize for Spurs, and break Arsenal hearts.
The roof went off White Hart Lane seconds later, as Harry Kane produced one of the goals of the season to give Tottenham the lead in the 62nd minute. Dele Alli ran on from an offside position to backheel the ball into Kane’s path. The Englishman was positioned on the left edge of the box, and curled in a wonderful effort with the instep of his right foot into the top corner, with Ospina having no chance.
Tottenham were chasing a third to finish the game, with Eric Dier picking up a yellow as the home side dominated. However, the North London derby is rarely predictable and Arsenal were handed a lifeline in the 76th minute, as Alexis Sanchez ran onto a through ball from Bellerin on the right and beat Lloris with a low, bouncing effort and deflate Spurs as the Gunners drew level.
The rain began to pour as Tottenham were lucky not to go down to ten men, as Eric Dier was not given a second yellow despite grabbing a handful of Olivier Giroud’s shit as he looked set to counter. Alexis went close from a free-kick, while Gabriel nearly turned in a Kane cross as both sides had an opportunity to score a winner in the final minutes.
Ramsey burst into the box in injury time, but Wimmer produced a game saving tackle to deny Arsenal an unlikely winner. As the referee blew the final whistle, it was Leicester who were happiest, as Tottenham remain in second on 55, while Arsenal are third on 52 points.