ARSENAL 3 LIVERPOOL 1 (a.e.t.; 3-2 on aggregate – CARLING CUP SEMI FINAL, 2ND LEG)

An epic, Herculean struggle that ran the gamut of emotions, this one ended on a rather controversial note that managed to sap a great deal of the bliss that I had gained from the victory.

Smith found Bendtner with a cross in the early going, but the Dane’s header flew harmlessly wide.

The visitor’s first real crack at goal came from Xabi Alonso’s free kick, but it comfortably cleared the crossbar. Almunia sent the resulting goal kick down to Ljungberg, who was dispossessed by Riise before regaining control of the loose ball. Bendtner had drifted wide to assist Ljungberg, so the Swede sent the ball in to Bojinov, who released Bendtner with a clever first time pass out wide – since Riise had failed to track back quickly enough. Bendtner stormed into the box to find the pass and finished with power and precision into the bottom corner of the net to tie the contest.

Fabregas picked up an errant pass and punted the ball ahead of Bojinov, whose speed got the better of him as he showed the out-rushing ‘keeper too much of the ball, allowing him to tackle and clear.

A poor backpass almost let us in, and Fabregas pipped the ‘keeper to the ball to lay it up for Bendtner, who dallied just a second – but it was enough to allow Kirkland to bravely and smartly pluck the ball off his feet.

It turned out to be an incredibly expensive miss. 3mins later Almunia punched out Tuncay’s shot, but as Liverpool came back Ryan Smith was adjudged to have tugged back Steven Gerrard. The youngster was already on a yellow, and I stared in disbelief as he was actually handed his marching orders by Neil Swarbrick – for a tug! For what was about his second foul of the match! I was livid! Worst of all, we were handily screwed.

We hung on until half time, operating now with a 3-man midfield and 2 strikers, as I knew we needed another goal and couldn’t let Liverpool attack us unchecked. At the very start of the 2nd half, Clichy set up Bojinov and the Bulgarian hitman played an incredible one-two in the box with Fabregas, before the latter was brought down by a panicky Momo Sissoko. Swarbrick pointed to the spot, and Bojinov stepped up to do the deed, handing us a 2-0 lead.

Liverpool hit back hard, and very nearly caught us out on a counter as we set about trying to make the tie safe. Tuncay beat Billy Jones to a ball, and it was 4-on-3 as Lucas sprang Cisse behind my retreating defensive line, but Almunia brilliantly blocked his shot when one-on-one, and my defense cleared hastily.

I took off Ljungberg for Yobo, who anchored our midfield in front of the back 4. It didn’t stop Liverpool from cutting us apart ruthlessly, as Xabi Alonso’s throughball found Tuncay, whose shot was acrobatically tipped over the bar.

2mins later, just past the hour mark, Tuncay’s long ball found Cisse behind the defense, but Almunia was once again on hand to block his point blank header before the defense, playing the part of over-burdened firefighters, cleared. But the fire spread, and when the breakthrough came, it was a worthy way to win any match by.

Tuncay drifted in on the left, and lofted a speculative cross for Cisse at the far post. However, the ball eluded everyone – Cisse included – and nestled into the far corner of the net to leave everyone stunned. Advantage: Liverpool.

I brought on Van Persie on for Bendtner in a bid to spark things, but it was Liverpool who almost hit us again, as Cisse once more drifted behind the defense to rifle a shot at goal, but it cannoned off the upright before Almunia punched it away upfield.

With nothing left to lose, we deployed Clichy and Billy Jones as rampaging wingbacks. With 7mins to go, Liverpool cleared their lines but Djimi Traoré was slow to move upfield, playing van Persie onside. Campbell’s long punt found the Dutch striker, who stormed into the box but his shot was somehow tipped over the bar by Kirkland.

Bergkamp was the final roll of the dice, on for Flamini, as we deployed 3 strikers. The Dutch legend’s shot from the edge of the area flew wide and was the last chance of the game.

Until it inexplicably went into Extra Time! We had lost on the Away Goals Rule, but somehow, despite the commentary pointing this out earlier, we were forced into Extra Time, and all my raging at the injustice of Ryan Smith’s dismissal couldn’t convince me that this was karma.

In the 2nd min of ET, Gonzalo’s headed clearance found Bojinov behind Traoré, who was once again slow getting back, and the Bulgarian wunderkind dribbled past Kirkland and finished easily into the empty net.

Substitute Luis Garcia saw two shots superbly saved by Almunia, and Bojinov himself was denied a surefire third of the night by Traoré’s amazing last-ditch tackle. My fullbacks were playing with aplomb now, and Clichy once again unleashed Bojinov behind Liverpool’s high line, but he was bodychecked on the edge of the area by Traoré, who conceded the free kick but somehow escaped a booking much less a sending off. Bergkamp’s free kick was kept out at the near post, and after that we successfully ran out the clock towards one of the more controversial cup matches in a while, that’s for sure!

ARSNL 3 (Bendtner 19’, Bojinov pen 47’, 93’)
L’POOL 1 (Sanli Tuncay 67’)

ARSENAL RATINGS: Manuel Almunia: 8 – Billy Jones: 8, Gonzalo: 8, Sol Campbell: 9, Gaël Clichy: 9 – Fredrik Ljungberg: 7 (Joseph Yobo [57’]: 7), Francesc Fabregas: 8, Mathieu Flamini: 7 (Dennis Bergkamp [85’]: 7), Ryan Smith: 6 – Nicklas Bendtner: 7 (Robin van Persie [70’]: 8), Valeri Bojinov: 9

MoM: Gaël Clichy (Arsenal)
Red Card: Ryan Smith (Arsenal, 38’)

~ by savageternal on January 4, 2009.