Giroud rescues last-gasp point
LONDON: Olivier Giroud proved to be Arsenal’s super-sub once again as he rescued a 1-1 draw two minutes from time at Southampton. Charlie Austin fired an early opener for Mauricio Pellegrino’s hosts – his fifth in three Premier League starts this season – and the striker was unlucky not to have more to show for the palpable sense of panic he and the Southampton attack injected into a shambling Arsenal backline.
Arsene Wenger’s men recovered their poise and some swashbuckling attacking play as they sought an equaliser before half time made for a captivating contest.
But France striker Alexandre Lacazette could not claim the goal his endeavours deserved and it was left to his compatriot Giroud – a man, like Austin, not too well-versed in starting games this term – to avert a sixth Premier League loss of the season.
There was a certain inevitability as the 31-year-old rose to expertly direct Alexis Sanchez’s floated cross beyond Fraser Forster for a seventh goal in all competitions this term.
Giroud now has 17 Premier League substitute goals to his name, the same number as similarly famed game-changers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Nwankwo Kanu. Only Jermain Defoe has more.
Per Mertesacker, making only his fourth Premier League start of the season, cleared the ball straight to Dusan Tadic and his slip when trying to remedy the situation allowed Austin space to control the Serbia playmaker’s chipped pass and steer an unerring finish past Petr Cech.
Veteran goalkeeper Cech stood firm when Austin got in behind Nacho Monreal two minutes later and, although an offside flag was raised when the ex-Burnley man headed against the post in the seventh minute, it was further evidence of a wretched defensive start from the visitors.
It was left to Lacazette to spark Arsenal as an attacking force, spinning to craft a chance on the end of Aaron Ramsey’s looping header but scuffing a shot too close to Forster in the Southampton goal.
Lacazette and Mesut Ozil were guilty over overplaying their hand with a one-two at the end of a lightning break, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg scrambling back to avert the danger.
GIROUD NOW HAS 17 PREMIER LEAGUE SUBSTITUTE GOALS TO HIS NAME, SAME AS OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER AND NWANKWO KANU