Gila Bola

Friday, 16 February 2018

CHELSEA AND LEICESTER CITY SAFELY THROUGH IN EMIRATES FA CUP AFTER FRIDAY NIGHT TIES

Chelsea marched into the Emirates FA Cup sixth round as Willian scored twice during a comfortable 4-0 win against Championship side Hull City.

Frenchman Olivier Giroud, signed from Arsenal on deadline day, scored his first Chelsea goal and assisted both Willian strikes.

Pedro rounded off the scoring as Chelsea scored four in the first half.

The Blues went ahead after only two minutes as Willian scored a curling effort from outside of the penalty area.

And it was 2-0 on 27 minutes as Pedro raced onto a through ball from fellow Spaniard Cesc Fabregas.

Willian then linked well with Giroud just past the half hour mark to score his second of the game, while the Frenchman scored his first Chelsea goal following debutant Emerson Palmieri's cross.

Hull improved considerably after the break and David Meyler had a penalty saved by goalkeeper Willy Caballero, while Willian hit the post late on for a rampant Chelsea.

Meanwhile, England international and Sheffield-born Jamie Vardy proved the match winner as Leicester City booked their place in the next round of the Emirates FA Cup after beating Sheffield United 1-0.

But it was the returning Riyad Mahrez that proved the creative spark for the Foxes.

Mahrez provided the cross for Vardy to head home the all-important winning goal just after the hour mark.

Sheffield United created clear cut opportunities of their own, with Enda Stevens and George Baldock going close for Chris Wilder’s men.

But the Blades were unable to find an equaliser late on, while Vardy had a late effort ruled out for Leicester for offside.

Thursday, 15 February 2018

UEL : Arsene Wenger hails Arsenal's adaptability after they overcome a 4G surface and freezing conditions to beat Ostersunds 3-0 in Sweden

Arsenal beat Ostersunds 3-0 at the Jamtkraft Arena in their Europa League clash
Arsene Wenger named a strong Arsenal team for the first leg of their last-32 tie
Wenger hailed his Gunners side for how they adapted to the unfamiliar 4G pitch
Ostersunds' English boss Graham Potter admitted Arsenal were the better team

Wenger got out of the group stages by largely utilising his fringe players and young prospects but, now sitting eight points off the top four, winning the Europa League arguably presents the Gunners with their best shot of returning to the Champions League.

That explains why the likes of Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan were included here and it was the former who rounded off a straightforward win after a Nacho Monreal effort and a Sotirios Papagiannopoulos own goal had set Arsenal on their way, with Ostersunds missing a last-gasp penalty.

'I think we adapted quite well to the pitch,' Wenger said after the game.

'They (Ostersunds) were maybe a bit cautious at the start and we took advantage of it. I feel that at 2-0 at half-time, it was important for us not to concede a goal and win the second half.

'I felt there was more to score one or two more in the second half but we were in control and once we went 2-0 up... overall we won in a comfortable way.

Mesut Ozil (left), Sead Kolasinac (centre) and Shkodran Mustafi (right) walk through the snow

'The risk at the start was that I didn't know how tough the pitch would be for our players. But overall we have no game over the weekend, so it was an easier decision.

'The only risk was the injuries. I'm happy we had no problems and the pitch was quite good.'

The manner of this victory, with Ostersund unable to register a goal as Arsenal's captain on the night David Ospina kept out Tom Petttersson's weak stoppage-time penalty, means the pressure is off the Gunners in next week's return leg at the Emirates Stadium.

That will suit Wenger as Arsenal have the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City three days later and the Frenchman admits he is likely to shuffle his pack.

'We'll try to win the game again,' he said. 'Maybe we'll rotate the players who did not play tonight and rest one or two who played tonight.'

Ostersunds, who beat the likes of Galatasaray, PAOK and Hertha Berlin to get this far, were surprisingly defensive in the opening quarter of the contest.

Their English manager, Graham Potter, bemoaned the start but was pleased that his players rallied to trouble Arsenal for periods of the tie.

Graham Potter conceded that Arsenal were the better team and deserved to win the match

'Arsenal are rightly one of the favourites. They've left a few players at home and it shows the strength of their squad. They still had World Cup winners on the pitch, talent all over and technically good level. They are clearly the best team we've faced.'