Ahad, Julai 29, 2012

Kitchee 2 Arsenal 2: Gunners toil again before young Eisfeld saves their blushes



To the rescue: Thomas Eisfeld was the man, or boy, to save Arsenal's blushes once again in pre-season
To the rescue: Thomas Eisfeld was the man, or boy, to save Arsenal's blushes once again in pre-season

Respect: Theo Walcott scored Arsenal's first equaliser, slotting home confidently
Respect: Theo Walcott scored Arsenal's first equaliser, slotting home confidently

Respect: Theo Walcott scored Arsenal's first equaliser, slotting home confidently

Young Gunner: Ryo Miyaichi was one of Arsenal's better players in a below-par first half

Development: Abou Diaby continued his pre-season, perhaps the most important of his career


Development: Abou Diaby continued his pre-season, perhaps the most important of his career


Again Arsenal laboured in the Far East and completed their tour of Asia with a draw against Hong Kong champions Kitchee.Arsene Wenger’s team were twice behind and were rescued for the second time in six days by German teenager Thomas Eisfeld. The 19-year-old, signed from Borussia Dormund for £420,000 in January, came off the bench to equalise with 12 minutes remaining.




On Tuesday, he had been sent on against a Malaysia XI with his team trailing 1-0 and equalised before Arsenal found a late winner.Kitchee went ahead after eight minutes to the delight of 40,000 capacity crowd inside the Hong Kong Stadium and scored again after Theo Walcott’s equaliser to lead at the break.

Wenger’s team fly back to London having won one, drawn one and lost one of their three games, scoring four and conceding five.They have rarely been fluent, although Walcott and Gervinho caught the eye in Hong Kong, as well as Eisfeld.

Wenger started with his team in a 4-3-3 formation, as he did in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, with Francis Coquelin the deepest of the midfielders, Abou Diaby to his left and Oxlade-Chamberlain to his right. Kitchee, managed by a former Barcelona youth coach Josep Gombau, with a heavy influence of Spanish players and former Fulham centre-half Zesh Rehmann in defence, played with the same Barcelona team shape.


The Hong Kong champions started with confidence, quickly unzipping Arsenal’s inexperienced back-four. Craig Eastmond, at right-back, covered well to clear the first danger but the Gunners were soon behind.

A loose pass from Ignasi Miquel was intercepted in the eighth minute by Lam Ka Wai, who slid a pass between centre-halves Miquel and Johan Djourou.

Striker Yago Lopez seized the chance, spinning quickly to roll a cool finish past Wojciech Szczesny, playing his first football since his red card in the opening game of Euro 2012.
Arsenal responded. Marouane Chamakh forced a save and Walcott went close before the England winger levelled in the 24th minute.

Diaby won the ball deep in Kitchee territory, found Walcott inside the penalty area and the he beat goalkeeper Wang Zhenpeng at his near post.

Walcott, by far the most threatening of Arsenal’s attacking players throughout, provoked whoops of delight from the home crowd by celebrating with the Chinese symbol for 'Respect', something he recalled from a kung-fu workshop in Beijing, earlier in the tour.


The lead lasted only five minutes. Daniel Rodriguez stormed forward from left-back and lashed a shot into the top corner after Szczesny made a terrific one-handed save to beat out an acrobatic effort from Cheng Su Wai.

Between these two goals came an audacious free-kick by the home team. Jorge Paramo stood beside the ball and flicked it high over Arsenal's defensive wall, from where Roberto Rodriguez peeled away into the space behind and met the pass with an overhead kick. It flew wide but the 40,000-capacity crowd appreciated the invention.

Wenger made five changes at the break and Benik Afobe hit post within three minutes of coming on. Really, he ought to have scored after skilful approach play from Gervinho, who wriggled through two tackles on the edge of the penalty area.

Afobe fired the rebound over the bar and later missed an even simpler chance when he nodded a header over from close range, after a cross from Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Lo Kwan Yee was twice close to extending the lead. First he hit a post with a cross-shot, although Szczesny appeared satisfied he had his angles covered. Then right-back Yee found himself unmarked with the ball in front of the Arsenal goal, but Szczensy was able to block.







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