Cardiff 2-3 Arsenal: Lacazette delivers goal & assist to grab difficult win for Gunners

Game is over and the final score is Cardiff City 2-3 Arsenal. Cardiff City twice found equalisers before Alexandre Lacazette conjured an 81st-minute winner for Arsenal, who have back-to-back wins.

Match Events

7' Cech almost gifts Cardiff a goal!

ARTER SHOULD DO BETTER! After the free-kick, Sokratis passes it to Cech who holds it momentarily before passing it centrally – intended for Guendouzi. The pass is very poor and its intercepted on the edge of the area by Arter who has a free shot at goal – which he sends high above the crossbar.

11' GOAL! Cardiff City 0-1 Arsenal (Mustafi)

Goal!  Cardiff City 0, Arsenal 1. Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Granit Xhaka with a cross following a corner.

29' CHANCE! Reid's Bicycle kick over the bar

Reid attempts an audacious overhead kick after a Hoilett cross from the left is not dealt with by Arsenal. It would have been spectacular, but the Cardiff striker sends his chance over the bar.

45+2' GOAL! Cardiff City 1-1 Arsenal (Camarasa)

Goal!  Cardiff City 1, Arsenal 1. Víctor Camarasa (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Joe Bennett with a cross.

62' GOAL! Cardiff City 1-2 Arsenal (Aubameyang)

Goal!  Cardiff City 1, Arsenal 2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Alexandre Lacazette.

70' GOAL! Cardiff City 2-2 Arsenal (Ward)

THIS TIME, THE SET-PIECE WORKS FOR CARDIFF! 2-2 as Ralls floats the free-kick to the back post for Morrison who wins his individual battle and heads the ball back into the centre of the penalty area where Danny Ward waits with anticipation. Ward also wins his duel and nods the pass off the left-hand post and into the goal! We’re all square once again at the Cardiff City Stadium!

81' GOAL! Cardiff City 2-3 Arsenal (Lacazette)

LACAZETTE’S CLINICAL FINISH MAKES IT 3-2! The striker does fantastically well to stay onside in the penalty area and jump on Torreira’s leading pass – splitting two centre-backs in the process. From in-close, the striker lashes a powerful shot into the roof of the net, leaving Etheridge rooted to the spot. 

Match Report

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette's burgeoning strike partnership came to the rescue as Arsenal eventually shook off Cardiff City to claim a 3-2 win in the Welsh capital.

Shkodran Mustafi headed the visitors into an 11th-minute lead before Neil Warnock's side averted a seventh consecutive goalless half in the top flight this season when Victor Camarasa pounced in stoppage time.

Unai Emery brought Mesut Ozil and Lacazette into his XI and both were involved in Aubameyang's brilliant 62nd-minute goal, only for Danny Ward to find a swift response.

Lacazette was harshly adjudged to have fouled Harry Arter for the free-kick that led to Ward's leveller but the French striker had the last laugh on his first start of the campaign, darting around Sol Bamba and blasting beyond Neil Etheridge at the Cardiff goalkeeper's near post.

Line-ups

Cardiff City XI: David Junior Hoilett, Bruno Ecuele Manga, Sol Bamba, Arter, S. Morrison, J. Bennett, D. Ward, Neil Etheridge, Bobby Reid, J. Ralls, Camarasa

Subs: L. Peltier, B. Murphy, Gary Madine, Greg Cunningham, K. Harris, Kenneth Zohore, Callum Paterson

Arsenal XI: Petr Cech, M. Özil, Nacho Monreal, Sokratis, Aubameyang, Ramsey, Lacazette, Mustafi, G. Xhaka, Bellerín, M. Guendouzi

Subs: S. Lichtsteiner, Mkhitaryan, D. Welbeck, B. Leno, M.Elneny, L. Torreira, Holding