Match Report


ArsenalArsenal     Birmingham CityBirmingham City
Luke KerrLuke Kerr Andrew Blight Andrew Blight
Ivan HoweyI. Howey85
G
1
G
78Patrick MeyerP. Meyer
Mamar LeroyM. Leroy74
D
2
D
74Ian PearceI. Pearce
Javier CuellarJ. Cuellar75
D
3
D
76Gaspar OliveiraG. Oliveira
Andy MckayA. Mckay81
D
4
D
74Dominic McallisterD. Mcallister
Hermann HaraldurH. Haraldur77
D
5
D
73Mario MarbusM. Marbus
Thierry WhiteT. White81
M
captain6
M
85Leon GeorgeL. George
Ben GreeningB. Greening86
M
7captain
M
89Robin van VeenR. van Veen
Teddy MorrisT. Morris80
M
8
M
88Ivan HuckerbyI. Huckerby
Farid SalhiF. Salhi82
A
9
A
81Peter PriorP. Prior
Marcel Ferreira-LeiteM. Ferreira-Leite83
A
10
A
80Franceco MezzanoF. Mezzano
Marcus BishopM. Bishop77
A
11
A
80Gianni AvilaG. Avila
 
Giovanni M. BurianiG. Buriani77
M
12
D
73Rio CampbellR. Campbell
Gilles CotteeG. Cottee76
A
13
A
76Mehamha BelaizM. Belaiz
Manuel ReisM. Reis76
D
14
M
79Armin KöpkeA. Köpke
Match Report
The sky is dark and overcast here at Emirates Stadium where Arsenal play host to Birmingham City. A crowd of 20,574 fill this 21,000 capacity stadium.
The pitch is in poor condition.
Both Arsenal and Birmingham City are lined up in a 4-3-3 formation.
Today's match is refereed by Kevin Hapgood.


0.00
Birmingham City start the match!
4.07
Hermann Haraldur laces a weighted ball forward to Teddy Morris. Teddy Morris knocks the ball forward to Thierry White. Thierry White shoots from distance. It's miles wide!
6.30
Robin van Veen hacks Ben Greening from behind! The referee reaches into his pocket ... it's a yellow card! Ben Greening runs off the knock.
16.13
Ben Greening threads a neat ball through to Thierry White. Thierry White tries a spectacular long range effort. Superb reactions from Patrick Meyer. What a save!
18.25
Gaspar Oliveira controls the ball well before passing to his team mate, Ivan Huckerby. Ivan Huckerby threads the ball through to Peter Prior. Peter Prior knocks in a cross ball which is cleared easily by the defence.
21.24
Thierry White threads a neat ball through to Marcus Bishop. Marcus Bishop knocks in a cross ball but it is too close to Patrick Meyer who gathers it comfortably.
22.51
Ivan Huckerby flicks the ball to his team mate, Peter Prior. Peter Prior knocks the ball forward, putting Leon George through on goal. Leon George side-steps and rifles a shot at goal. The ball strikes Andy Mckay's outstretched foot and is deflected wide.
24.44
Robin van Veen takes the corner kick, swinging the ball out wide. Mamar Leroy comes in with a tackle and wins the ball, clearing it upfield.
33.57
Mario Marbus flicks a high pass forward. Gianni Avila collects the pass. Gianni Avila deftly passes the ball to his team mate, Franceco Mezzano. Franceco Mezzano shoots from distance but it whistles just wide of the post!
34.32
Thierry White runs straight at the opposition's defence. Thierry White knocks in a cross ball but it is too close to Patrick Meyer who gathers it comfortably.
36.54
Leon George flicks the ball to his team mate, Franceco Mezzano. Franceco Mezzano skips past Javier Cuellar! Franceco Mezzano muscles his way past his marker and unleashes a shot at goal. The ball skims nastily along the ground and slips under the keeper's body. Goal!!
40.49
Leon George comes in with a late challenge on Hermann Haraldur. Leon George is warned by the referee! Hermann Haraldur runs off the knock.
45.00
Teddy Morris knocks the ball to his team mate, Ben Greening. Ben Greening controls the ball well and immediately threads the ball forward, putting Marcel Ferreira-Leite through on goal. Marcel Ferreira-Leite tries a spectacular strike. It's there!! Patrick Meyer has to pick the ball from the back of the net!
45.00
The first half ends with the referee blowing his whistle!

Both teams emerge for the second half. Arsenal appear unchanged since the first half. Birmingham City also appear unchanged since the first half.

45.00
Arsenal kick off the second half!
47.34
Gaspar Oliveira barges into Ben Greening. The referee calls over Gaspar Oliveira and warns him to calm down! Ben Greening runs off the knock.
49.40
Gaspar Oliveira threads the ball through to Robin van Veen. Robin van Veen flicks a high pass forward. Gianni Avila controls it well on his chest. Gianni Avila plays a scrappy one-two with Peter Prior and advances towards the goal... Some good footwork from Gianni Avila provides some space. He shoots at goal. The ball edges inside the post - goal!!
54.17
Teddy Morris deftly passes the ball to his team mate, Farid Salhi. Farid Salhi plays a scrappy one-two with Marcel Ferreira-Leite and advances towards the goal... Farid Salhi makes some space for himself and shoots at goal but it whistles just wide of the post!
57.02
Ivan Huckerby makes a beautiful pass to the feet of Robin van Veen. Robin van Veen sees the keeper off his line and tries a speculative shot on goal. The ball swerves in the air but the keeper is on top of it. Fabulous stop!
60.11
Birmingham City have made a substitution with Rio Campbell replacing Dominic Mcallister .
65.29
Ben Greening flicks a high pass forward. Farid Salhi controls it well on his chest. Farid Salhi knocks in a cross ball but it is headed clear by Ian Pearce.
71.36
Thierry White clumsily knocks into Ivan Huckerby. Thierry White is shown the yellow card! Ivan Huckerby runs off the knock.
73.35
Rio Campbell controls the ball well before passing to his team mate, Franceco Mezzano. Franceco Mezzano deftly passes the ball to his team mate, Ivan Huckerby but the linesman indicates offside!
77.20
Birmingham City have made 2 substitutions with Armin Köpke replacing Ivan Huckerby and Mehamha Belaiz replacing Franceco Mezzano .
78.26
Mamar Leroy flicks a high pass forward to Thierry White who brings the ball under control. Thierry White kicks a strong pass forward to Ben Greening. Ben Greening advances inside the box! Ben Greening shows great control and tries a shot on goal. The ball edges just beyond the reach of the keeper, thudding into the back of the net. Goal!!
81.07
Ian Pearce chips the ball to his team mate, Robin van Veen. Robin van Veen flicks a high pass forward. Gianni Avila collects the pass. Gianni Avila knocks in a cross ball towards Robin van Veen. Robin van Veen makes a convincing header. The ball is well placed but the keeper is a match for it. Nice keeping!
84.34
Leon George makes a simple pass to Gianni Avila. Gianni Avila plays a one-two with Leon George and advances towards the goal... Gianni Avila rockets a shot on goal but couldn't keep it down. It goes high into the crowd!
85.35
Leon George makes a simple pass to Peter Prior. Peter Prior controls the ball perfectly and tries a long range shot on goal but he balloons it over the crossbar!
89.17
Armin Köpke knocks the ball to his team mate, Gianni Avila. Gianni Avila knocks in a cross ball which is cleared by the defence.
90.00
Thierry White knocks the ball to his team mate, Marcus Bishop. Marcus Bishop knocks in a cross ball which is cleared by the defence.
90.00
The whistle indicates full-time!

Match Statistics
 

Arsenal

Birmingham City
Goals
2
2
Shots on Target
3
5
Shots off Target
2
3
Offsides
0
2
Fouls
1
3
Yellow Cards
1
1
Red Cards
0
0

Possession
48.8%
51.2%
Play Area
22.5%
51.2%
26.2%

Scorers
Marcel Ferreira-Leite 45
Ben Greening 78
Franceco Mezzano 37
Gianni Avila 49

Man of the Match
The man of the match was awarded to Ben Greening of Arsenal

Match Ratings
1.Ivan Howey (GK)
6
2.Mamar Leroy (DEF)
6
3.Javier Cuellar (DEF)
6
4.Andy Mckay (DEF)
6
5.Hermann Haraldur (DEF)
6
6.Thierry White (MID)yellow card
7
7.Ben Greening (MID)goal scored
9
8.Teddy Morris (MID)
6
9.Farid Salhi (ATT)
6
10.Marcel Ferreira-Leite (ATT)goal scored
8
11.Marcus Bishop (ATT)
6
 
12.Giovanni M. Buriani (MID)
0
13.Gilles Cottee (ATT)
0
14.Manuel Reis (DEF)
0

1.Patrick Meyer (GK)
6
2.Ian Pearce (DEF)
6
3.Gaspar Oliveira (DEF)
6
4.Dominic Mcallister (DEF)
6
5.Mario Marbus (DEF)
6
6.Leon George (MID)
7
7.Robin van Veen (MID)yellow card
6
8.Ivan Huckerby (MID)
6
9.Peter Prior (ATT)
6
10.Franceco Mezzano (ATT)goal scored
8
11.Gianni Avila (ATT)goal scored
8
 
12.Rio Campbell (DEF)
6
13.Mehamha Belaiz (ATT)
6
14.Armin Köpke (MID)
6