Wanderers 0, Arsenal 1: Ten-man Wanderers will be upset, but surely earned most of the plaudits, before Arsenal claimed this FA Cup sixth round victory at the Reebok.
Trailing 1-0, and with only 10-men after El Hadji Diouf managed to get himself sent off, they made a brave fight of it in the second-half at the Reebok on Saturday afternoon.
Chances came at both ends, none apparently easier than the one which fell to match-winner Freddie Ljungberg seconds from the end.
A 2-0 scoreline would have been unfair on brave Wanderers but Freddie spooned over the bar from inside the six yard box.
Half-time Report: Wanderers 0, Arsenal 1
WANDERERS are fighting back bravely after making a nightmare start against Arsenal in the sixth round of the FA Cup at the Reebok, trailing to an early goal and having a man sent off.
Freddie Ljungberg pounced onto a through ball and clicked the ball over Jussi Jaaskelainen and into the empty net in the third minute.
It got worse in the eighth minute when they were reduced to 10 men.
El Hadj Diouf swung an arm backwards angrily at keeper Jens Lehmann and hit him in the face as the German tried to prevent the Senegal striker from making a protest over a penalty call after what looked like a foul on Kevin Davies.
Wanderers fought back, with a number of efforts testing Lehmann while both Reyes and Pires (for diving) received yellow cards.
Preview: Hunt back for Wanderers
NICKY Hunt returned to the starting line-up, and Gary Speed took the captain's armband in place of the injured Jay Jay Okocha as Wanderers took on Arsenal at the Reebok with a place in the FA Cup semi-final at stake this afternoon.
Hunt returned after suffering a dislocated shoulder and his appearance meant Vincent Candela had to settle for a place on the bench.
Arsenal hot shot Thierry Henry was absent injured, while Robert Pires, only a sub in the Champions League defeat at home to Bayern Munich, made the starting line-up in midfield.
Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Ben Haim, Gardner, Nolan, Hierro, Speed, Giannakopoulos, Diouf, Davies. Subs: Poole, Pedersen, Jaidi, Campo, Candela.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Senderos, Toure, Clichy, Ljungberg, Flamini, Vieira, Pires, Bergkamp, Reyes. Subs: Cole, Van Persie, Taylor, Fabregas, Eboue.
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
Attendance: 23,523
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