Tigers’ best efforts couldn’t faze Gunners

Johannesburg - The scoreline is perhaps not a fair reflection of an impressive performance from Hull City, who were beaten 2-0 by Arsenal at the Emirates in the Premier League on Saturday.

Hull looked uncharacteristically unsure of themselves early on, with several errant passes finding an Arsenal player instead of a team-mate creating a whole heap of unnecessary pressure. Fortunately for the visitors, the Londoners weren’t able to make the most of the Tigers’ carelessness.

Hull had the first real chance of the match with Kamil Grosicki delivering a superb outside boot cross for Oumar Niasse, who forced a smart save out of Petr Cech in the Gunners’ goal.

The hosts should have been ahead through Alexis Sánchez after the Chilean used his skill to go past two defenders and create space for a shot in the box, but he pulled his shot across the face of goal.

Arsenal took the lead in the 34th minute, but there was more than a hint of good fortune about the goal. Kieran Gibbs had a shot blocked on the line, but the rebound fell to Sánchez, who poked the ball goalwards, only to see his effort also saved.

However, the save bounced up into the Chilean international’s hand and into the back of the net, but the referee refused the goal.

After the break, the home side were nearly caught out by a brisk counter-attack from Hull.

Sections of the travelling support thought Hull had found an equaliser around the 80th minute when Niasse rose to head the ball just wide of the post and into the side netting. The Tigers posed a constant aerial threat and Adama Diomandé will be bitterly disappointed to have seen his late header fly over the crossbar.

Hull’s resistance finally crumbled in second-half injury time.

Eldin Jakupovic made a strange decision coming well out of his area to try to intercept a ball to Sánchez, but the striker went around the keeper before crossing it to Lucas Pérez at the far post.

He nodded the ball goalwards, only for Sam Clucas to deliberately handle the ball on the line, earning himself a red card and the Gunners a penalty. Sánchez scored from the penalty spot for Arsenal. – TEAMtalk Media