SPORTS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015 Giroud leaves it late to settle Arsenal nerves Arsenal 2 Stoke 0 LONDON: Olivier Giroud came off the bench to ensure Arsenal didn’t pay for their profligacy in a 2-0 win over Stoke at the Emirates Stadium yes- terday. Theo Walcott had put Arsenal ahead in the first half, but the Gunners’ fans once again spent most of the afternoon frustrated at wasted opportunities before Giroud struck late on to secure their third victory of the season. For all their possession and pretty football, Arsene Wenger’s side have had a problem scoring this LONDON: Norwich City’s Matt Jarvis (center) celebrates scoring his side’s goal of the game during season and that was highlighted after just four their English Premier League soccer match against Bournemouth at Carrow Road. — AP minutes. Santi Cazorla delivered a delicious ball right onto Alexis Sanchez’s head, but his nod down Hoolahan shines was tipped against a post by Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland. The rebound fell invitingly to Walcott and his miss from eight yards was ridicu- in Norwich stroll lously remiss. Wenger’s team hit the same post again four minutes later when Sanchez struck a low angled shot following another incisive pass clash with Joshua King and he was fortunate to from Francis Coquelin. escape with a booking soon after for an ugly hack The Gunners kept pressing and Butland Norwich 3 on the Bournemouth forward. saved well from a dipping Sanchez free kick. That tetchy challenge brought the simmering Moments later Walcott squandered yet another tensions between the teams to the boil and opportunity when he headed a Hector Bellerin Bournemouth duo Simon Francis and Adam Smith cross over the bar from six yards. So, within 10 Bournemouth 1 earned yellow card for crunching fouls, while minutes the Gunners had scorned five very invit- Hoolahan also went into Martin Atkinson’s book. ing chances. The ammunition was being provid- Amid all the aggression, Jerome had a chance to ed, but the Gunners were misfiring. With open the scoring when Hoolahan found him with a Coquelin the fulcrum in midfield, operating just NORWICH: Wes Hoolahan stole the spotlight as clever through-ball, but the former Stoke forward in front of the back four, Arsenal at least attacked Norwich secured their second Premier League win fired into the side-netting. with purpose down both flanks. They even came of the season with a 3-1 success against Jerome made amends for that miss in the 35th through French centre-half Laurent Koscielny, Bournemouth yesterday. minute when he scored from close-range after who let fly from 35 yards only to be denied by Alex Neil’s side took the lead when Hoolahan set Hoolahan unhinged the Bournemouth defence Butland. The Stoke keeper was in a class of his up Cameron Jerome’s first half opener and with a clever nutmeg of Cook. own with dramatic saves, brave blocks and Hoolahan added the second with an eye-catching The visitors nearly equalised just before half- unflappable demeanor. individual effort before debutant Matt Jarvis netted time when Callum Wilson’s strike was touched onto the third at Carrow Road. This was the first ever top- a post by Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy. SOPHISTICATED LONDON: Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez (left) tries to score past Stoke City’s Phillip flight meeting between these sides, who were both But Hoolahan’s sublime solo goal increased Under Mark Hughes, Stoke are slowly devel- Bardsley during their English Premier League soccer match. — AP promoted from the Championship last season, and, Norwich’s lead in the 52nd minute. Taking posses- oping a more sophisticated approach to their although Steve Cook got one back for sion 40 yards from goal, the Republic of Ireland game while still retaining something of an edge Bournemouth, it is Norwich with seven points who midfielder advanced unchecked before drilling a without the overt physicality deployed under EPL results/standings are making the smoother transition. superb strike past Bournemouth goalkeeper Artur Tony Pulis. Ironically, the opening goal, in the Norwich were without former Bournemouth Boruc. 31st minute, came during a period when Stoke Arsenal 2 (Walcott 31, Giroud 85) Stoke 0; Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 1 (Iheanacho striker Lewis Grabban, who is out of favour after try- Neil’s team were well on top and on-loan West were enjoying their best period of possession 90); Everton 3 (Naismith 17, 22, 82) Chelsea 1 (Matic 36); Manchester United 3 (Blind 49, ing to force a move to his old club earlier this sea- Ham winger Jarvis sealed the points in the 67th and pressing forward. Joselu was caught in pos- Herrera 70-pen, Martial 86) Liverpool 1 (Benteke 84); Norwich 3 (Jerome 35, Hoolahan 52, son, but the hosts still swept to a comfortable win. minute with a cool curled finish. Cook headed in a session in the Arsenal half by a superbly execut- Jarvis 67) Bournemouth 1 (Cook 81); Watford 1 (Ighalo 59) Swansea 0; West Brom 0 Canaries midfielder Alexander Tettey needed Francis corner in the 81st minute but it was little ed Coquelin tackle and within a split second Southampton 0. treatment after suffering a head injury in an early consolation for bedraggled Bournemouth. —AFP Mesut Ozil hit a long ball forward. Walcott controlled, held off a strong chal- Playing today lenge from Mark Muniesa and rolled the ball Leicester v Aston Villa, Sunderland v Tottenham Watford see off Swansea past the advancing Butland for his first club goal of the campaign. Facing an eight consecutive Playing tomorrow defeat by Arsenal at the Emirates, Stoke had to West Ham v Newcastle newcomers Bournemouth and Tottenham. do more to win the ball and then retain it. They Watford’s afternoon wasn’t all plain sailing as did neither and for long periods Arsenal played English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals Watford 1 they had to play the closing 25 minutes a man around them with ease. down after Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami’s reck- It was Coquelin who continued to control the for, goals against, points): less studs-up challenge on Andre Ayew above the game with his ball-winning, neat passing and Man City 5 5 0 0 11 0 15 Southampton 5 1 3 1 5 5 6 knee earning him a straight red card. sheer presence. However, Arsenal’s inability to Man Utd 5 3 1 1 6 3 10 Watford 5 1 3 1 3 4 6 Victor Ibarbo, who arrived on a season-long convert chances into goals continued as Aaron Swansea 0 Arsenal 5 3 1 1 5 3 10 West Brom 5 1 2 2 3 6 5 loan from Roma on deadline day, received interna- Ramsey slipped just as Ozil found him wide Crystal Palace 5 3 0 2 8 6 9 Aston Villa 4 1 1 2 4 5 4 tional clearance and was named on the Watford open and sliced his shot well wide. Everton 5 2 2 1 8 5 8 Bournemouth 5 1 1 3 6 9 4 bench by Quique Sanchez Flores. Stoke took heart from this and Xherdan Leicester 4 2 2 0 8 5 8 Chelsea 5 1 1 3 7 12 4 WATFORD: Odion Ighalo scored the only goal of Swansea manager Garry Monk fielded his Shaqiri forced a fumbled save from Petr Cech Swansea 5 2 2 1 7 5 8 Tottenham 4 0 3 1 3 4 3 the game against Swansea on Saturday to earn 10- strongest side with Jonjo Shelvey, fresh from his and had a couple of other shots blocked by Norwich 5 2 1 2 8 9 7 Newcastle 4 0 2 2 2 5 2 man Watford their first win at the fifth attempt England call-up, marshalling the midfield, and defenders. The Potters replaced Joselu with Liverpool 5 2 1 2 3 6 7 Sunderland 4 0 2 2 6 10 2 since promotion to the English top flight. Wayne Routledge preferred to Jefferson Montero. Stephen Ireland in a bid to spice up the midfield. West Ham 4 2 0 2 9 6 6 Stoke 5 0 2 3 3 7 2 The Nigeria international celebrated signing a In-form Swansea’s best chance of the game Referee Jon Moss waved away two penalty new five-year contract on Friday when sweeping came when Bafetimbi Gomis, who had scored in appeals from Stoke with Marko Arnautovic home in the 59th minute after keeper Heurelho each of their opening four games, had a shot being guided off the ball forcibly by Koscielny Gomes’ long punt up field with Troy Deeney’s denied by Gomes before the half-hour point. and Mame Biram Diouf tumbled as a cross was headed knockdown setting up unmarked Ighalo to Gomis had gone close with an acrobatic volley delivered. Walcott had second half chances to Quinn winner downs Celtic finish the move in style. in first-half injury time. In a lively encounter add to his tally but his efforts were feeble and Seconds earlier the 26-year-old striker who Watford’s Etienne Capoue forced Swansea keeper Butland was defiant. Even when the ball fell invit- Lukasz Fabianski into action on a number of occa- ingly to Giroud, seconds after his introduction, ABERDEEN: Paul Quinn scored a late wicked deflection off the back of joined the Hornets from Udinese in 2014 had gone winner as 10-man Aberdeen moved top Graeme Shinnie in the wall. close only to shoot wide from six yards.