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Rediff.com  » Sports » FA Cup: Arsenal down Bolton

FA Cup: Arsenal down Bolton

February 15, 2007 11:10 IST
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Arsenal won 3-1 after extra time at Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday to reach the FA Cup fifth round, with the cool head of Swede Fredrik Ljungberg finally laying the ghost of their bogey team after three glaring misses.

Two goals by Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor and one by substitute Ljungberg in the fourth-round replay earned Arsenal a home tie with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

The Londoners, who had lost four of their five previous matches at Bolton, went in front in the 13th minute.

Tomas Rosicky's pass to Julio Baptista on the left was blocked but Adebayor, having helped in the build-up, hit the loose ball into the roof of the net thanks to a slight deflection.

Bolton, who managed to stop the visitors adding to their tally in a first half dominated by Arsenal, snatched a 90th-minute equaliser through defender Abdoulaye Meite to take the game into extra time.

GOOD RUN

Ljungberg, a veteran of three FA Cup final victories with Arsenal, struck the all-important second goal early in the second period of extra time, placing a low shot inside the far post after a good run by fellow substitute Jeremie Aliadiere.

Adebayor, who should have wrapped up the tie in normal time, finally put away his second in the closing seconds when he and Baptista broke away and the Brazilian set him up.

"The goal Freddie scored was top drawer, there wasn't much we could do after that," Bolton manager Sam Allardyce told Sky Sports.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: "Bolton are a good side and we have shown tonight we are a great side."

His team squandered two big chances to wrap it up in normal time.

Captain Gilberto Silva blasted a 64th-minute penalty over the bar after Tal Ben Haim had brought down Baptista. The Israeli defender, lucky not to be booked at that stage, was sent off near the end of extra time for a second yellow card.

Adebayor was guilty of a worse miss five minutes from time when he broke away and rounded keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen before striking the post with an empty net at his mercy.

Baptista missed another penalty for Arsenal when they were 2-1 up, firing over the bar.

Bolton hit the woodwork through Stelios Giannakopoulos and captain Kevin Nolan.

 

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Source: REUTERS
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