Swansea City vs. Arsenal: Frenetic FA Cup Draw as It Happened
FA Cup Third Round—Swansea City vs. Arsenal
Full time
Swansea 2-2 Arsenal
Michu 58'
Podolski 82'
Gibbs 83'
Graham 87'
Lineups:
Swansea: Michel Vorm; Dwight Tiendalli, Chico Flores, Kyle Bartley, Ben Davies; Ki Sung-Yueng, Leon Britton, Jonathan de Guzman; Nathan Dyer (Michu 57'), Wayne Routledge (Hernandez 56'), Danny Graham
Subs: Tremmel, Michu, Pablo Hernandez, Monk, Shechter, Rangel Augustien
Arsenal: Wojciech Szczesny; Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscileny, Kieran Gibbs; Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla; Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey (Podolski 73'), Olivier Giroud
Subs: Martinez, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Podolski, Santos, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coquelin
LIVE BLOG END
Thanks for joining me for this rather insane football match and putting up with my rather rushed and scrambled commentary.
I'll be back in this space shortly with six things we learned from this match, and my fellow Bleacher Report writers will have analysis of this and the other FA Cup matches this weekend.
Until then, have a great Sunday, and I hope to have your company again in the future.
Post-match
Arsene Wenger will want a more clinical edge from his team, which could have had several more goals than they did today and allowed the tight score to hurt them.
And the defense was found wanting on both goals. Both center-backs were left scrambling as Michu chipped the ball past them for the first, while sloppy marking let Danny Graham get the space and time he needed to equalize.
Both goals were against the run of play, which will disturb Arsenal even more.
Stu Forster/Getty Images
Post-match
An absolutely incredible second half of football yields a 2-2 draw that Arsenal will probably be less happy with.
The Gunners were playing some scintillating football for parts of the half, and got two deserved goals to put them ahead. But one late moment of weakness cost them progression to the fourth round and forced a replay at the Emirates Stadium.
FULL TIME
90+5'—Michel Vorm catches a good ball, and that might be that.
90+5'—Free-kick for Arsenal on the right side of midfield, and Arsenal will stack players in the penalty area for one last kick.
90+4'—No more tame from both sides now, as Swansea have more of the ball in these final minutes.
Now Arsenal counter, and there's a bit of an incisive edge to their play. If there's a late goal in this it'll be Swansea's.
90+2'—Outstanding save by Michel Vorm! Laurent Koscielny slammed a powerful header goalward and Vorm had to leap to get his fists to it. The second attempt was just over the bar.
Five minutes of extra time, as Tiendalli barely misses a sure goal at the other end with a quick shot that caught Szczesny out of position.
Insane stuff, I'm just trying to keep up with it.
90'—Arsenal have a corner now. Arteta to take. Will we have more late drama here?
87'—GOAL!!!
Danny Graham equalizes for Swansea in incredible fashion!
Swansea kept possession from a corner, the ball was slipped into Graham on the left side of the box and the striker finished really well with a curling shot around Wojciech Szczesny.
Terrible goal for Arsenal to concede, as Arsenal had this game in their grasp. What a finish to this match, though.
83'—GOAL!!!
Outstanding volley from Kieran Gibbs, and Arsenal are deservedly ahead. That looked eerily like Lukas Podolski's goal against Montpellier earlier in the season.
Olivier Giroud delicately chipped the ball over the defense, Gibbs was alone on the left side and smashed the ball on the volley into the roof of the net.
Dreadful display from Swansea, and Arsenal get their just reward.
82'—GOAL!!!
Lukas Podolski equalizer at last for Arsenal! And it had to happen with Swansea's unbelievable sloppy defensive play.
Walcott took a corner that was extremely cheaply conceded, Sagna headed it back into the danger zone, and Podolski struck a powerful blow blow inside the far post Great finish, 1-1.
80'—Kyle Bartley picks up a yellow card for a foul on Jack Wilshere on the edge of the box. Looks like Cazorla will take the free-kick this time from about 20 yards out.
Ben Hoskins/Getty Images
79'—Outstanding block from Tiendalli, who's been excellent today, to stop Kieran Gibbs' low cross.
Swansea can't seem to do anything right at the moment, though. Clearances go right to Arsenal players, Swansea lose possession at every turn and are giving away chances left and right.
But it's still the Swans in the lead, with Michu's goal the difference. Arsenal fans would feel so much better about their chances if it weren't for the Spaniard.
77'—Ooh, what a chance for Theo Walcott! Swansea made about 1,000 mistakes in 30 seconds, but Arsenal couldn't capitalize on any of them.
The worst came when a bad back pass put Walcott in on the right side, but he couldn't keep his shot on target, sliding the ball low past the far post.
Arsenal are playing much better right now, but have nothing to show for it. Hectic game.
73'—Looks like I predicted something. Arsenal substitution:
Lukas Podolski replaces Aaron Ramsey in a like-for-like change that will see the German slot in on the left wing.
73'—Interesting that Arsene Wenger has not yet made a substitution, with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lukas Podolski and Tomas Rosicky on the bench.
70'—No one can criticize Arsenal for lacking urgency or not playing good football, but they just cannot seem to get the ball past Michel Vorm. In short, they lack the clinical edge that Michu provides Swansea.
Still, if the Gunners play like this for the rest of the match, they should have a decent shot at an equalizer.
It's Arsenal coming forward again on the left, but Kieran Gibbs has been very unimpressive in the attacking third.
69'—Swansea substitution
Kenny Augustien replaces captain Leon Britton in midfield.
68'—Yes Mike, except Arsenal don't have Michu on the bench.
Time to do something, Arsene. See how Swansea's subs changed the match?
— Michael Cummings (@MikeCummings37) January 6, 2013
Ben Hoskins/Getty Images
67'—It's all up to Arsenal now, but one gets the sense that they've wasted their best chances at the beginning of the second half.
Ooh, Olivier Giroud had a great opportunity to get a header on goal, but couldn't direct his shot on target. Arsenal still playing great football, but they lack the clinical edge that they need to equalize or win.
64'—That goal was totally against the run of play, but Swansea are well and truly back in it now. Ki whips in a free-kick at the near post, it's defended well and the Gunners counter.
Outstanding challenge from Tiendalli to stop Kieran Gibbs storming into the penalty area, and after some good play from the ensuing corner, Arsenal get the ball back.
58'—GOAL!!!
Michu scores with almost his first touch! A long ball found Michu in front of the center-backs, he poked over the badly positioned Mertesacker and Koscielny, and finished coolly past Wojciech Szczesny.
Outstanding play from a true impact player.
57'—Swansea substitution
Michu enters the fray for Nathan Dyer, who might have picked up a knock himself. Now Swansea have their most lethal player on the pitch.
56'—Swansea substitution
Wayne Routledge comes off, and Pablo Hernandez comes on.
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