Preston North End vs. Arsenal: Score and Reaction from 2017 FA Cup

Preston North End almost caused the shock of the 2017 FA Cup third round as the Championship side took the lead against Premier League opponents Arsenal at Deepdale stadium, but the Lilywhites lost 2-1 after a last-minute strike by Olivier Giroud on Saturday.

The pulsating cup tie saw the hosts go in front as Arsenal struggled, but two second-half efforts rescued the Gunners from embarrassment. 

A shock goal from Callum Robinson gave Preston the lead after Arsenal's defence collapsed in the seventh minute, and the scorer benefited from a significant deflection as the ball hit the Gunners' net.

Arsenal levelled the game just 50 seconds into the second half. Aaron Ramsey made no mistake as his shot from outside the box found the net.

It was left to Giroud to have the final word once again, as he has in recent matches, and the France international earned the win in the closing seconds.

As expected, Arsenal Wenger took the opportunity to rotate his first team, omitting Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil from the squad. Danny Welbeck returned to the team after an eight-month injury layoff and took his place on the substitute bench.

Marnick Vermijl replaced Bailey Wright in defence for the Lilywhites, while Aiden McGeady got the nod ahead of Eoin Doyle.

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The home crowd was soon in full voice after the opening moments of the match. Arsenal were all at sea as Preston grabbed an advantage through Robinson.

The Gunners defence were inadequate as the hosts attacked, and their calamitous decision-making opened the door for Preston.

Presenter Gary Lineker tipped his hat to the goalscorer:

Preston continued to push forward and should have had a second as they penetrated with surprising ease, but the visitors resisted the hosts' best efforts through luck more than judgment.

Wenger appeared disconcerted as his side trudged off at half-time, per BT Sport:

WhoScored.com provided half-time statistics and player ratings:

Football writer and Arsenal fan Lee Hurley took a swipe at Wenger, as the Gunners failed to show their superiority in the first half:

Former footballer Jan Aage Fjortoft also made a stinging assessment of the north London giants:

Arsenal made an emphatic start to the second half, with Ramsey smashing the ball into the net from the edge of the box in the opening minute after the restart.

The Welshman latched onto the ball as he sprinted forward, lashing his shot inside the post past goalkeeper Chris Maxwell.

BT Sport shared Ramsey's moment of magic:

Preston appeared shellshocked as they sank deeper and deeper, and Arsenal could smell blood as they sprinted forward in search of the lead.

The confidence had been drained from the hosts, and Giroud was suddenly finding space where there was none in the first half.

The Gunners took their foot off the gas as the half proceeded, reverting to a familiar possession game as they chipped away at the Preston defence.

The decisions began to stack up against the hosts, with the referee brandishing his yellow card and warning Preston boss Simon Grayson when he protested in his technical area.

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Shkodran Mustafi almost grabbed Arsenal's second of the night after 70 minutes, but Maxwell saved his rasping shot after a well-worked corner.

Preston found an extra gear in the final 20 minutes, pressing through Arsenal's midfield in an attempt to cause the biggest shock of the round.

The hosts were suddenly full of running again, and Arsenal felt the pressure as they considered a last-gasp effort to win the game.

The ball hit the back of the net with 12 minutes left, but Giroud's strike was adjudged offside, and Preston took the chance to attack.

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Wenger responded by throwing on Welbeck in the final moments, and the Gunners looked poised to steal the victory. Preston put every outfield player behind the ball as the Premier League side went for the throat, and the home fans were nervous in the last minutes of the game.

The heartbreaking moment came in the final minute. The ball broke to Giroud in the box, and the Frenchman lifted the ball into the net for the winner.

The travelling fans burst into song as they celebrated the victory, but Preston deserved at least a draw after a brave performance. 

Post-Match Reaction

Wenger was grateful to his captain on the night, as Giroud once again scored a vital goal, and he lauded the striker after the match, per the club's official Twitter feed:

The draw for the fourth round of the FA Cup takes place on January 9.