Arsenal regaint top with 2-0 victory

April 21, 2002 | Leave a Comment

“Ljungberg lifts Gunners back to the top

Story by Kali Korbis

Freddie Ljungberg’s double kept his team’s hopes of their own double alive on Sunday, as Arsenal defeated Ipswich Town 2-0 in Premiership action.

The result, decided by two second-half Ljungberg goals within ten minutes, lifted Arsenal back to the top of the Premiership table, while edging Ipswich ever closer to a relegation place.

Again, it was a bit of a scrappy win for the Gunners, who hit the woodwork several times before Ljungberg finally broke the deadlock. Ipswich’s defence remained resolute through 68 minutes, frustrating Arsenal and threatening to snatch two crucial points away from the Gunners in an increasingly pressure-laden Premiership title race.

Ipswich’s Martijn Reuser nearly shocked Arsenal in the 39th minute, finding himself with room on a Finidi George cross. However, the Dutchman’s header bounced off the post to save the Gunners from conceding a potentially devastating goal.

Martin Keown found his own header hit the post just one minute later, while Thierry Henry’s driven shot was tipped onto the crossbar and out of danger by Ipswich goalkeeper Andy Marshall. Dennis Bergkamp’s second-half strike would also fall victim to the goalposts.

However, just as the afternoon began to look dire for the Gunners, Ljungberg came to their rescue. His bending shot again came off the post, but managed to get on the end of Martin Keown’s collection and pound the ball past Marshall from 12 yards out in the 68th minute.

The Swede, an Arsenal fan favourite with his red-striped, spiky hair, followed his initial effort up with another goal just ten minutes later. Gilles Grimandi’s cross yielded a header for Ljungberg, and although Marshall got a touch, the Arsenal man hit the rebound off of his knee into the net.

Arsene Wenger fell to his knees joyfully at the end of the match, later admitting, “”I was very happy. I was always confident we could win, but you never know when you get to 25 minutes to go and have hit the woodwork three times and not scored. You never know what will happen.

“”It was a very difficult game until we scored, but Freddie is always there when you need him and he symbolised the strength of the team. He never gives up – just like the rest of them.

“”If we keep winning our games we will not have to worry about the other team’s results. This team is solid as a rock and has shownj outstanding behaviour up to now and I think they will continue to show that for the rest of the season. It is there to be won, but we have not done it yet.”"

The Gunners will next meet fellow Londoners West Ham midweek in a match that will be critical to their hopes of winning the Premiership this season.

Teams:

Arsenal: Seaman, Lauren, Keown, Adams, Cole, Ljungberg, Parlour, Vieira, Edu (Kanu 56), Henry, Bergkamp (Grimandi 76).

Subs Not Used: Dixon, Jeffers, Wright.

Booked: Lauren.

Ipswich: Marshall, Bramble, McGreal, Hreidarsson, Clapham, George (Peralta 50), Holland, Tommy Miller, Reuser (Ambrose 85), Stewart, Marcus Bent (Armstrong 85).

Subs Not Used: Wilnis, Salmon.

Att: 38,058

Ref: A. Wiley (Burntwood).

100″

Posted by Mr Zog | Filed Under Match Report