A Mikel Arteta own goal proved to be the difference as West Bromwich Albion held on for a vital 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon.
West Brom 2 Arsenal 1
Giroud heads Arsenal in front
Albion level through Morrison
Arteta own goal gives Baggies lead
Cazorla misses late penalty for visitors
Match Summary
Arsenal opened the scoring through striker
Olivier Giroud on the half-hour mark, before
Albion levelled matters just minutes later through
midfielder James Morrison.
Arteta found himself in the wrong place at the
wrong time after a comical own goal from the
Spaniard gave the hosts the lead heading into
the break.
Arsenal pressed and harried in the second half
but could find no way through a resolute Tony
Pulis defence as West Brom recorded a vital win
over Arsene Wenger's men, who missed a late
penalty through Santi Cazorla.
Full Report
The game had barely begun before Arsenal were
forced into a change after Francis Coquelin was
replaced by Arteta following a challenge from
West Brom's Claudio Yacob.
The visitors' first real sight at goal came through
an Alexis Sanchez free-kick after 15 minutes, but
the Chilean couldn't generate enough power
behind his dipping effort from 25 yards and Boaz
Myhill saved comfortably in the Albion net.
The Gunners broke the deadlock just before the
half-hour mark through the head of Giroud after
a beautifully flighted free-kick from Mesut Ozil
found the Frenchman with the West Brom goal at
his mercy.
Pulis' men hauled themselves level with a free-
kick of their own as Chris Brunt's delivery was
met by the boot of Morrison and the ball looped
over the helpless Petr Cech and into the Arsenal
goal.
Disaster struck again for the visitors just five
minutes before half-time as substitute Arteta
bundled the ball into his own goal following a
brilliant delivery from James McClean across the
Gunners' six-yard box.
Just two minutes into the second half and
Arsenal midfielder Ozil struck the post after a
loose ball fell to the German on the edge of the
area.
Wenger was then forced to bring off first-half
substitute Arteta for Mathieu Flamini with the
Gunners continuing to push on for an equaliser.
Albion's defence was again tested as Arsenal
flurried forward but Kieran Gibbs' shot was well
blocked by diving West Brom bodies. Rondon
then saw a volleyed effort sail over the bar as
the hosts tried to hit Arsenal on the counter.
Subbstitute Joel Campbell had the chance to
make an immediate impact with the Albion goal
at his mercy but the Costa Rican could only
scuff his shot wide to the disgust of the
onlooking Wenger. Rondon then departed being
replaced by Saido Berahino as the hosts looked
to stretch the game.
The Hawthorns then thought the home side had
given themselves a goal cushion through a Jonas
Olsson header as the ball bounced across the
line, but, the defender was flagged offside to the
dismay of the baying home crowd.
The Gunners continued to push and were handed
a lifeline with eight minutes to go as Brunt was
adjudged to have impeded Sanchez in the Albion
area and referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the
spot.
Cazorla stepped up for the visitors but slipped at
the vital moment just as he struck the ball and
saw his effort fly over the bar to the dismay of
his team-mates.
The Gunners rallied forward once again but could
find no way through a resolute Albion defence as
Arsenal crashed to defeat.
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