Arsenal 2 (Johnstone OG 70, Mosquera OG 90+4) Wolves 1 (Arokodare 90)
Wolves suffered wretched luck in the capital as two own goals, the second deep into injury time, saw them beaten by Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Rob Edwards got his tactics spot on and after a goalless first 45, the first strike of misfortune arrived when a Bukayo Saka corner came the crossbar and the back of Sam Johnstone to put the hosts ahead.
The Old Gold grew from there however, and Tolu Arokodare glanced home Mateus Mane’s cross to grab a late equaliser. However, lady luck abandoned Edwards once more as Yerson Mosquera got a touch on Saka’s late cross to divert is past Johnstone to deny Wolves an unlikely but deserved point on the road.
In terms of first halves, Edwards can’t have asked for more from his side, who were resolute in their defending and posed a threat at the other end. Such was the Old Gold’s organisation, the opening ten minutes came and went with only a wayward Jurrien Timber’s header to note.
Wolves’ biggest chance of the half arrived on 27. Hee Chan Hwang received the ball in his own half but had a huge amount of open space to run into. He charged towards goal and kept himself ahead of the retreating Gunners defenders, before testing David Raya with a low effort which needed turning away.
For the hosts, Gabriel Martinelli passed up their best opening of the half. It came from a Declan Rice corner, and he was at the back post free, but his header flashed across the face of goal and wide, albeit from a difficult angle.
The Brazilian was in the thick of the action soon after too, meeting a low Saka cross, which Viktor Gyokeres missed in the middle, but the returning Matt Doherty put in a crucial block to turn behind from a corner.
The final opportunity of the 45 fell to Edwards’ side, however. When Piero Hincapie slipped, Jorgen Strand Larsen latched on to David Moller Wolfe’s low ball and got his shot away, but Hincapie recovered impressively to put in a crucial block. Joao Gomes couldn’t turn in the rebound from there, as Wolves ended the half strongly.
Half-time | Arsenal 0-0 Wolves
Arsenal started the second half on the front foot, understandably, and when Martinelli used his pace to get past Doherty, he could only curl wide of the far post. Gyokeres then headed wide as frustration began to grow amongst the home fans.
Johnstone then produced two brilliant saves to deny Rice. First, he got a touch on the midfielder’s free-kick to help it over, before he got a firm hand to parry away Rice’s powerful, but whipped effort.
It meant the opening goal was particularly unlucky on the goalkeeper. Saka’s corner was dangerous and he tipped it on to the bar, but the ball ricocheted off his back and bounced home to give the Gunners the lead.
Martin Odegaard and Gyokeres then had chances to extend the leader, while Arokodare’s shot was blocked after good work by Gomes and Fer Lopez.
However, as the clocked ticked on to 90, the Nigerian had his moment - a first Premier League goal. As Mane whipped in a cross, he guided his header into the net, with Raya gambling that the ball would run through, leaving himself out of position.
There would be one final, late twist however. Saka was again the creator with a cross from the right and, under pressure from Gabriel Jesus, Mosqeura got a touch on the cross to direct it beyond Johnstone and deny Wolves and deserved point.
Full-time | Arsenal 2-1 Wolves
Arsenal | Raya, White (Lewis-Skelley 31), Saliba, Hincapie, Timber, Zubimendi (Merino 59), Rice, Eze (Odegaard 57), Saka, Martinelli (Trossard 57), Gyokeres (Jesus 81).
Unused subs | Arrizabalaga, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Madueke.
Wolves | Johnstone, Doherty (Tchatchoua 69), Mosquera, Agbadou, Toti (Mane 86), Wolfe, Andre, Krejci (Lopez 80), J Gomes, Hwang (Arias 80), Strand Larsen (Arokodare 69).
Unused subs | Sa, Hoever, S Bueno, Chirewa.
