A stubborn Sunderland secured their place in next season’s Premier League as they ground out a goalless draw at Arsenal.
The Black Cats travelled south knowing that a point would move them beyond reach of 18th placed Hull and guarantee their top flight safety.
And Dick Advocaat’s men executed their manager’s tactics perfectly, as a brave defensive display effectively shut out the hosts while they also created a handful of opportunities to snatch a brilliant victory, though Steven Fletcher was guilty of wasting several chances.
The Gunners had their moments too, but were either denied by in-form goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon or a series of desperate last-ditch blocks.
The Emirates was eerily quiet throughout a battling first half, in which Arsenal - who now haven't scored at home in three games - went closest when Olivier Giroud saw a volley tipped behind by Pantilimon.
Giroud looked lively at times for the hosts but at others didn’t seem that bothered to join his team-mates in the box, as several crosses from the flank went begging.
After the break, though, the scrappy encounter transformed into an end-to-end contest, as the highly compacted Sunderland side, who were camped back around their penalty area in large parts of the first half, began to stretch their legs.
The Wearside outfit started the second-half well, though Fletcher should have done better when an Adam Johnson through-ball set him free and the Scottish striker thumped an effort straight at David Ospina.
Patrick van Aanholt was next to go close as the Black Cats carved out two great chances in a matter of minutes, the Dutchman cutting in from the left but going for goal instead of passing to the wide-open Fletcher, and seeing his tame effort saved.
Giroud then hit the bar from a speculative cross before he was again denied by the quick reflexes of Pantilimon, who got managed to flick out a hand to deny the Frenchman’s strong flicked shot from Hector Bellerin’s wicked cross.
Fans were half asleep in the first half but were up on the feet on the hour-mark when both teams went close to an opener within seconds of each other.
On-loan Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates was first the hero for Sunderland with a superb block to prevent Alexis Sanchez from getting a shot away.
The Black Cats then broke forward and Fletcher found himself through on goal, but the Scot again fluffed his lines as his attempted chip over Ospina was deflected wide, and he thumped another great chance high over the crossbar minutes later.
Sunderland were almost punished for their poor finishing when Arsenal put the Black Cats’ box under siege in the closing stages, Pantilimon twice saving from substitute Theo Walcott before Billy Jones was inches away from scoring an unfortunate own goal, when Aaron Ramsey’s shot deflected off the defender’s shoulder and onto the bar.
But Advocaat was soon jumping for joy and then in tears at the final whistle as his side managed to hold on, leaving rivals Newcastle United and Hull City to battle it out for safety on the final day.
A point for Arsenal, meanwhile, seals a top-three spot to finally avoid a pesky Champions League play-off.
0 nhận xét:
Đăng nhận xét