Mighty Stoke sink Gunners away

Posted Monday, August 21, 2017 by foxsportsasia.com

Stoke City claimed their first big scalp of the season as they beat Arsenal 1-0 at the Bet365 Stadium on Saturday evening.

Match Summary

The home side opened the scoring through new signing Jese in the 47th minute after he was played through by Saido Berahino for the only goal of this enthralling Premier League encounter.

Full Report

Stoke, playing their first match of the season at home, were expected to make it tough for Arsenal to win and they started brightly when Darren Fletcher drove at the heart of the Gunners’ defense before sliding the ball through to debutant Jese who produced a smart save from Petr Cech.

The visitors created their first chance of the match in the 14th minute when Hector Bellerin played a good give and go with Alexandre Lacazette before crossing the ball on the edge of the Stoke six-yard box, but nobody could get the crucial touch to put the ball away.

A few minutes later, Lacazette played in Aaron Ramsey who could only fire a tame shot straight at Jack Butland.

In the 20th minute, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain released Danny Welbeck but his first time shot was well kept out by Butland.

Stoke then suffered a blow as playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri picked up a knock and had to be substituted in the 25th minute with Saido Berahino replacing him.

The away side threatened again as Mesut Ozil picked out Ramsey from a free-kick but his volley was again well saved by Butland.

The hosts then had a great chance to open the scoring as newcomer Eric Choupo-Moting flicked the ball up for Ryan Shawcross, but the defender’s header went over the bar.

Shortly afterwards, Ozil managed to get free in the penalty box before cutting the ball back for Bellerin, but the Spanish defender’s shot went well wide of the goal.

The Potters started the second-half with a bang as Berahino ran at the Arsenal defense before laying in Jese who slipped the ball into Cech’s far corner to put the hosts 1-0 ahead.

The visitors nearly responded in the 57th minute when Bellerin was put through on goal and his shot stung the hands of Butland, with the ball eventually being knocked behind for a corner.

In the 60th minute Ozil picked out Welbeck but he mistimed his header and the ball went over the post for a goalkick.

A minute later Berahino nearly put the home side further ahead when his header from an Erik Pieters cross had to be tipped over the post by Cech. Fletcher then picked out Choupo-Moting who volleyed into the side netting.

Arsene Wenger brought Olivier Giroud on, in an effort to rescue the match, and the French striker made an instant impact as his first touch put Welbeck through but Butland was able to come off his line and make a smart save.

The Gunners were pushing for a goal and nearly found it when Ozil powered a rebound goalward only for Fletcher to block his effort. Ozil then curled the ball just wide of the goal.

Lacazette thought he had Arsenal’s equaliser in the 71st minute, only for his strike to be correctly ruled out for offside.

Oxlade-Chamberlain won another corner for the visitors, but Shkodran Mustafi’s resultant header went wide of the target.

Arsenal were fortunate not to give away a dangerous free-kick after Pieters robbed Oxlade-Chamberlain of the ball, only to be brought down just outside the Arsenal box by Mustafi, with the referee waving away appeals much to the home fans’ bemusement.

Giroud, who scored the winner against Leicester, nearly found an equaliser for the away side in added time, but his header went just wide of the post. The Potters managed to scrape through and claim their first win of the season.