Matteo Guendouzi was sent off for Arsenal, but they still managed to hold on to a 2-1 win over Blackpool in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.
2018/2019 League Cup
2-1
Match Events
33'GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Blackpool (Lichtsteiner)
Lichtsteiner scores his first goal for the Gunners after he latched onto a throughball inside the box. The defender stayed onside and came from nowhere to tap in past Howard.
50'GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Blackpool (Smith Rowe)
Smith-Rowe doubles Arsenal's advantage from inside the box. Jenkinson's cross forced Howard to palm the ball away but he could only tee up the Gunners youngster and he hits the ball into the floor to find the back of the net.
66'GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Blackpool (O'Connor)
O'Connor hit the post a moment ago but he does not miss with his latest header. The centre-back glided to the back post before smashing the ball home.
70' OFFSIDE! Delfouneso's goal disallowed
Cech plays himself into trouble and he is tackled inside his own box before Delfouneso taps home. However, the flag goes up after the former Aston Villa man failed to get back onside.
84'Red Card! O'Connor sent off
It is now 10 vs 10 as O'Connor is shown a straight red after bringing down Aubameyang. The referee waited before showing the card, but he was confident in his decision.
Match Report
Arsenal eventually got a first shot on target in the 33rd minute and it provided them with the opening goal, as Lichtsteiner managed to nudge the ball into the bottom-left corner when stretching to reach Guendouzi's lofted pass.
They got themselves another early in the second half – Smith Rowe finding the net from close range after Mark Howard parried Carl Jenkinson's miscued cross to the midfielder.
Guendouzi was then shown a second yellow for a needless tug on Jordan Thompson and Blackpool capitalised 10 minutes later, O'Connor heading home from Thompson's corner.
Blackpool's hopes of getting a second ended with O'Connor being shown a straight red six minutes from the end for a cynical tackle on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Line-ups
Arsenal XI: Petr Cech, S. Lichtsteiner, Mkhitaryan, D. Welbeck, Ramsey, Mustafi, Carl Jenkinson, A.M Niles, Julio Pleguezuelo, M. Guendouzi, E. Smith Rowe
Subs: Aubameyang, E. Martínez, A. Iwobi, L. Torreira, Holding, Willock, Nketiah
Blackpool XI: Mark Howard, Jay Spearing, Nathan Delfouneso, Liam Feeney, O. Turton, Michael Nottingham, Jordan Thompson, Ben Heneghan, Marc Bola, Paudie O'Connor, Callum Guy
Subs: Chris Taylor, M. Cullen, Ryan McLaughlin, C. Mafoumbi, John O'Sullivan, Harry Pritchard, Joseph Dodoo