Tottenham (1) 1 - 3 (2) ArsenalWhite Hart Lane, Wednesday 5th May 1999FA Carling Premiershipsee below for reports by: RupePreview
Tottenham (1) 1 - 3 (2) ArsenalWhite Hart Lane, Wednesday 5th May 1999FA Carling Premiership
scorers: Anderton 43 Petit 17
Anelka 33
Kanu 85
A great and rare win for Arsenal in the North London derby, which
together with Liverpool's extraordinary comeback from 2-0 down at
home to Man Utd leaves us for the first time this season in pole
position.
In the fifth minute Bergkamp, given space behind Anelka and hence bossing the game in style, set up Overmars on the left, but Walker came out well to smother the shot. Parlour was then booked for a foul on Ginola on our right, and his free-kick found a Spiurs head in the box but it went straight to Seaman. Parlour and Anelka combined superbly on the right hand side of the box, the latter pushing the ball back to Petit whose low 20 yard drive forced a diving save. Petit started the scoring with an exquisite goal. Bergkamp's pass forward found Manu's run and he had a touch as he took it into the area. The ball popped up and with a challenge about to come in from the side (Edinburhg, who had played Manu onside) and with Ian Walker advancing (somewhat ill-advisedly it has to be said) to the middle of the penalty area , Petit flicked it up and over him for 1-0. Chris Armstrong, in an offside position, was set up by an Arsenal pass-back. But clear on Seaman he hit his shot wide. Overmars went on a run down the left and fed Anelka just inside the box, he executed a clever change of direction which made 2 defenders fall over but one of them, Sol Campbell, did brilliantly to get back up in time to block the shot. The second was a classic Anelka goal, again set up by Bergkamp. The Dutchman's through-ball sent Anelka clear from the half-way line and he simply made a bee-line for goal before slipping it through Walker. We had a few more decent chances in the first half, Walker saving from Anelka who then hit the bar with a header from the resulting corner. Parlour got into a good position on the right of the box but his shot went straight across the penalty area. Just before half-time Vieira conceded a free-kick fouling Ginola, and Anderton took it. It wasn't the best struck shot but somehow managed to creep under Seaman just inside the far post. We easily had the better of them in the first half, and should have been 4 or 5 up at half-time, with Overmars the biggest culprit having missed a hattrick of good chances. And in the second half it looked like we might be in trouble as Spurs came back into it. It srated with a tackle on Vieira which left him on the ground, and Sherwood steamed in with a ridiculous and unnecessary challenge on the prone Frenchman. Petit took exception to it and was booked for his reaction, running some distance to have "words" with Sherwood. Overmars had anothger run at goal but showed too much of the ball to Walker, and then Marc had another chance, shooting at the keeper this time. Vivas came on for Parlour, who went off with a damaged groin and will now miss the last 2 games. Feund had a good claim for a penalty turned down when Winterburn's clumsy tackle from behind brought him down. Going in with his leg rather than a foot probably saved us from conceding the equalising spot-kick. Overmars went on another brilliant run, beating 2 defenders with ease, but Bergkamp under challenge from Campbell could only strike the cut-back wide. A superb Vieira interception in the box denied Sherwood in the box (nice to see Vieira getting the better of Sherwood again, and nice later to read his comments echoing most Arsenal fans' opinion about the ex Blackburn thug). Kanu came on for Bergkamp, but Tottenham had the next 2 chances, Both fell to Iversen: first he was clear at the far post but hit his angled shot far too wide, then the same striker had a long range shot which forced Seaman to drop sharply to the side to stop it. But Kanu, on for Bergkamp, produced a typical piece of brilliance to secure the win. Vivas won a free-kick on our right, as he beat his man and pushed the ball past him only to be obstructed as he tried to get clear down the wing. Vieira took it, and casually lobbed it forwards to Kanu on the edge of the box. With back to goal he flicked the ball over his head and a defenders, turned and ran onto it, and fired past Walker for the third of 3 truly wonderful goals. It's always nice to beat them, but doing so with 3 such goals makes this a night that'll stick in the memory for ever. Up at Anfield Liverpool did us a favour by coming back from 2-0 down to hold Man Utd to a draw. Our games are probably harder than theirs, but if we can win them both, and score a few goals, the title can be ours. Other reports
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