Arsenal vs. Fulham: Pulsating 3-3 Draw as It Happened
Premier League—Arsenal vs. Fulham
Full time
Arsenal 3-3 Fulham
Giroud 11', 69'
Podolski 23'
Berbatov 29', 63' (pen)
Kacaniklic 40
Arteta (pen miss) 90+4
Lineups:
Arsenal: Mannone; Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen; Coquelin (Ramsey 56'), Arteta, Cazorla; Walcott (Arshavin 85'), Podolski (Oxlade-Chamberlain 77'), Giroud
Substitutes: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Santos, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamblerlain, Chamakh, Arshavin
Fulham: Schwarzer; Riether, Hangeland, Hughes, Riise; Dejagah (Duff 85'), Baird, Sidwell, Richardson (Kacaniklic 10'); Ruiz, Berbatov
Substitutes: Stockdale, Senderos, Karagounis, Duff, Petric, Rodallega, Trotta, Kacaniklic
LIVE BLOG END
I'm off to the oxygen tank to recuperate from this one, but I'll be back here to tell you six things we learned from this crazy game.
Until then, enjoy more Saturday football coverage from Bleacher Report, and have yourselves a good weekend.
I've enjoyed all of your company, and I'll see you next time.
Post-match
First of all, it was Sascha Riether who conceded the penalty, not Leroy Lita, who doesn't play for Fulham. Sorry, it was a frantic time.
But how can you summarize that match? Arsenal inexcusable threw away a 2-0 advantage to give themselves a 3-2 deficit to make up, and they only get one point when they needed three.
Credit to Fulham, they certainly deserved a point, but it is typical of Arsenal that they missed a golden chance to win with a 94th minute penalty.
FULL TIME
Unbelievable. Mikel Arteta is heartbroken, and this breathtaking match ends in a 3-3 draw.
If you're an Arsenal fan, you can take some solace in the fact that it was probably an undeserved penalty, but credit to Schwarzer for a great save.
SCHWARZER SAVES!
90+4—PENALTY ARSENAL
Handball called on Sascha Riether in the final seconds of the game and Arsenal can win it with the last kick of the game. Incredible.
90+3—Corner Arsenal off a slight mistake from Baird.
Head tennis and a couple more crosses, but Fulham get it away.
90+2—Defensive confusion from Fulham leads to another corner.
Arteta with a goal-bound low drive that's blocked on the way through, and Fulham get the ball back.
90'—Olivier Giroud gets an uncontested header in the box, but there wasn't a tremendous amount of pace on the cross and he was a bit too far to do anything effective.
Four minutes of stoppage time, and Arsenal begin it with a corner.
90'—Hangeland heads down, but out for a goal-kick. Everton have come back to go 2-1 up on Sunderland, so Arsenal would really like three points to keep up with the fourth-placed toffees.
At the moment, it's looking like they won't get it, as Fulham are enjoying a bit more possession.
88'—Fulham in possession, waiting for their chance, occasionally going forward, but they give it back to Vito Mannone after a time.
Olivier Giroud commits a foul out of frustration by overpursuing the ball, and Fulham eventually get a corner kick.
85'—Fulham Substitution
Damien Duff on for Ashkan Dejagah in a like-for-like switch.
85'—Arsenal Substitution
Andrey Arshavin replacing Theo Walcott. If one person can produce that magical moment, it is Arshavin. Let's see if it's his day.
84'—All Arsenal at the moment, just probing and pressing, looking for that one moment of magic if it ever comes.
I wouldn't discount Fulham, though, they've found some joy on the counterattack today. For now, though, it's Arsenal's match to win.
83'—More outstanding defending from Koscielny, who just barely gets enough of the ball to prevent Dejagah from getting in a shot from a good goalscoring position on the right side of the box.
Arsenal back on the front foot now, looking for one mistake.
Scott Heavey/Getty Images
80'—What a chance fir Giroud! A rocket off his left foot is barely saved by Schwarzer and Arsenal get a corner that produces another corner.
The Emirates is pulsating, as Arsenal inch closer.
79'—Arsenal get really close to peeling off a lethal shot, but Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ramsey just can't find the perfect moment.
The Gunners mostly attacking on the left wing, but Mark Schwarzer not moving in his goal. If one side scores a winner here, it will probably be the home team.
77'—Arsenal substitution
Lukas Podolski makes way for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
77'—Well defended, and the ball eventually goes out of play for an Arsenal throw.
76'—A bit more subdued from Arsenal in possession at the moment, but you know that it's not going to continue for much longer.
Oh my, Berbatov with a great run on the counterattack but Koscielny makes two last-ditch challenges to force a corner. Breathtaking.
74'—Arsenal passing it around the box, waiting for the perfect moment to whip in a cross or play a through-ball.
The moment never arrives, but Cazorla eventually tries a shot that Hangeland blocks. Crowd going nuts, it's tough for me to bring you all this action in real time.
71'—Ruiz slaps a shot off the hands of Vito Mannone, and Fulham have a corner. Well defended by Giroud, and the Emirates is exploding with anticipation as Arsenal try to win the ball back.
They get it, and now it's Podolski on the left.
69'—GOAL!!!
Olivier Giroud hits the post in a one-on-one with Schwarzer, the ball goes to Theo Walcott who puts in a fantastic cross and Giroud puts in a superb header.
What a game we have now, Arsenal still have it and the Emirates is electric.
67'—GOAL!!!
Berbatov puts it away coolly, and Fulham have come back from 2-0 down to take a 3-2 lead. Astounding collapse by Arsenal, really, they were in such a position of strength early on and have just given it away.
If the scoreline stays like this, the Emirates is going to implode at the final whistle.
66'—Penalty for Fulham! Bryan Ruiz got past Mikel Arteta in the box by stealing the ball away from him, and Artata hauls him down. Sure penalty.
Berbatov to take.
64'—The ball fell to Theo Walcott on the right side of the box after a long ball was played, he elects to shoot instead of crossing to two men in the middle, and it goes out for a corner.
Defended well, but Arsenal still have it in midfield. Even if they're not scoring, Arsenal don't look vulnerable any more and are playing with a bit more vigor.
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