Podolski Sends Arsenal Into Top Four
115 Apr 15, 2014 - 10:38 pm
By SL International
A brace from Lukas Podolski and a solitary strike from Olivier Giroud earned Arsenal a 3-1 win over West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
The win moves Arsene Wenger's men back into the top four, while the Hammers remain in 11th spot.
After a slow start from both sides in the opening exchanges, the game sprung into life after 29 minutes, as Santi Cazorla played in Olvier Giroud, but the Frenchman's tame effort was tipped away by Adrian.
The visitors eventually took the lead in the 40th minute through Matt Jarvis, Antonio Nocerino went on a surging run before seeing his effort parried away by Szczesny but Jarvis on was on hand to head home the rebound.
Arsenal leveled matters four minutes later through Lukas Podolski's clinical finish from close range, after the German was played in by Cazorla.
Giroud gave Arsenal the lead 10 minutes after the restart with a composed right-footed finish from close range, after the striker did well to shrug off the challenges of Winston Reid and Andy Carroll.
Podolski almost added a third in the 60th minute but the German's free-kick from 25-yards out drew a fine save from Adrian.
Cazorla came closing to increasing the Gunners' lead three minutes later as he fired inches wide of the left-hand post from the edge of the area.
Podolski got his second and Arsenal's third of the night in the 77th minute after the he blasted one past Adrian from close range, after some good build-up play from Giroud and Aaron Ramsey.
Substitute Carlton Cole should have pulled a goal back in the 86th minute as he headed wide from close range, after getting on the end Nocerino's free-kick.