LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 24: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal celebrates their sides second goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on February 24, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
10 of the best ever Arsenal comeback wins
by Jocelyn Taub
Bolton 2-3 Arsenal – March 29, 2008
When Arsenal visited Bolton in matchweek 32 of the 2007/08 season, the Gunners were in a tight title race with Manchester United and Chelsea. Every point was vital.
The first half couldn’t have been any worse for the visitors as Bolton’s Matthew Taylor scored a brace and Abou Diaby was sent off for a high tackle.
Down by two goals and one man, the Gunners’ title hopes were hanging by a thread.
Bolton maintained the lead into the 60th minute. At that point, Wenger brought on Theo Walcott and Emmanuel Adebayor. Two minutes later, William Gallas volleyed home from a Cesc Fabregas corner and it was game on.
Just five minutes after Arsenal’s first goal, Aleksander Hleb was fouled in the box. Robin van Persie cooly slotted home to even the match 2-2.
A draw looked likely until the 90th minute when the Gunners’ fortune turned. A Fabregas shot ricocheted off of Bolton defender Jlloyd Samuel into the net. It went down as an own goal and Arsenal pulled out a win to remain in the title race.
Note: Arsenal finished the season in third position with 83 points just two behind Chelsea and four behind the eventual title winners, Manchester United.
Continued on next page…
#Arsenal</a> score a late winner. </p>
<p>Alexandre Lacazette gives Mikel Arteta's side the three points. And just look at what it means to the Gunners. </p>
<p>🎬 <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://twitter.com/primevideosport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@primevideosport <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://t.co/P6v83civvQ">pic.twitter.com/P6v83civvQ
<p>— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://twitter.com/TheAthleticFC/status/1496963749919563780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>February 24, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Arsenal has been involved in many come-from-behind victories over the years. To narrow it down I decided to take a look at some of the more memorable during the <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://www.90min.com/leagues/premier-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Premier League</a> era. Here are ten of the best Gunners comebacks.</p>
<p>Of course, feel free to suggest your favorite matches that should be added to this list.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Bolton 2-3 Arsenal - March 29, 2008 </a>
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<h2>Bolton 2-3 Arsenal – March 29, 2008</h2>
<p>When Arsenal visited Bolton in matchweek 32 of the 2007/08 season, the Gunners were in a tight title race with Manchester United and Chelsea. Every point was vital.</p>
<p>The first half couldn’t have been any worse for the visitors as Bolton’s Matthew Taylor scored a brace and Abou Diaby was sent off for a high tackle.</p>
<p>Down by two goals and one man, the Gunners’ title hopes were hanging by a thread.</p>
<p>Bolton maintained the lead into the 60th minute. At that point, Wenger brought on Theo Walcott and Emmanuel Adebayor. Two minutes later, William Gallas volleyed home from a Cesc Fabregas corner and it was game on.</p>
<p>Just five minutes after Arsenal’s first goal, Aleksander Hleb was fouled in the box. Robin van Persie cooly slotted home to even the match 2-2.</p>
<p>A draw looked likely until the 90th minute when the Gunners’ fortune turned. A Fabregas shot ricocheted off of Bolton defender Jlloyd Samuel into the net. It went down as an own goal and Arsenal pulled out a win to remain in the title race.</p>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> Arsenal finished the season in third position with 83 points just two behind Chelsea and four behind the eventual title winners, Manchester United.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Arsenal 2-1 Leicester - February 14, 2016 </a>
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<h2>Arsenal 2-1 Leicester – February 14, 2016</h2>
<p>It was the year where Leicester City shocked the football world and won the club’s first Premier League title.</p>
<p>Arsenal was one of Leicester’s closest challengers for top spot and went into this match five points behind the league leaders.</p>
<p>On the stroke of halftime, Leicester was awarded a controversial penalty for a questionable foul by Nacho Monreal. Jamie Vardy stepped up and scored and the Gunners headed for the dressing room down 1-0.</p>
<p>Ten minutes into the second half, Leicester defender Danny Simpson was sent off after a second bookable offense. Arsenal turned up the pressure and began to dominate possession. Despite having a man advantage and outshooting Leicester 24-7 the Gunners couldn’t find a breakthrough. That is until Wenger turned to the substitute’s bench.</p>
<p>Theo Walcott entered the match on the hour mark and ten minutes later he scored the equalizer.</p>
<p>Leicester’s defense held strong and it looked certain that the match would end in a draw. Instead, another of Wenger’s substitutes provided a storybook ending.</p>
<p>Danny Welbeck entered the match in the 83rd minute. It was his first appearance after missing ten months due to a serious knee injury.</p>
<p>In the 95th minute, with time running out, Arsenal was awarded a free kick. Mesut Ozil sent a perfect pass into the box, and who else but Welbeck was there to head home the winner.</p>
<p>The Emirates went <em>nuts</em> and Arsenal picked up three vital points.</p>
<p>Arsenal ended up finishing second in the league, ten points behind the surprising Foxes. While it’s a very small consolation, Arsenal won both of its meetings with Leicester, who lost just three matches during the 2015/16 season.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
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<h2>Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham – February 26, 2012</h2>
<p>Coming from behind to win is always exciting. When it’s against your fiercest rivals, who happen to be managed by Harry Redknapp, it’s euphoric.</p>
<p>It was looking bleak for Arsenal fans early on. A defensive mix up between Thomas Vermaelen and Wojciech Szczęsny gifted a goal to Louis Saha in the fourth minute.</p>
<p>Spurs were then awarded a penalty ten minutes before the half as Gareth Bale flopped to the ground (the referee decided that he was brought down). Adding to the misery was the sight of the much-loathed Emmanuel Adebayor giving Tottenham a two-goal lead.</p>
<p>Then things began to get Spursy as Arsenal started to come back.</p>
<p>Bacary Sagna headed home in the 40th minute and three minutes later Robin van Persie leveled the score just before halftime.</p>
<p>The second half was all Arsenal. Tomas Rosicky gave the Gunners the lead in the 51st minute, which was followed by two Theo Walcott goals three minutes apart. Arsenal had stormed back from a two-goal deficit to score five unanswered goals in a span of 27 minutes.</p>
<p>The Spurs collapse was completed when Scott Parker saw red in the 87th minute.</p>
<p>It was a North London derby that will long be remembered by the Gunners faithful.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
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<h2>Arsenal 4-3 Leicester – August 11, 2017</h2>
<p>Arsenal welcomed Leicester City to Emirates Stadium to kick off the 2017/18 Premier League season.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>The Gunners had to come from behind twice with the tying and winning goals coming with less than ten minutes left on the clock.</p>
<p>The match started well for the home side as new signing Alexandre Lacazette scored his first goal in North London just two minutes into the match as he met a cross from Mohamed Elneny in the box. It was just Lacazette’s second touch as a Premier League player.</p>
<p>Lacazette became the seventh player to score on his Premier League debut for Arsenal, after Kevin Campbell, Steve Bould, Fredrik Ljungberg, Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri, and Thomas Vermaelen.</p>
<p>The home side’s lead was short-lived, however, as Leicester’s Shinji Okazaki equalized just three minutes later, with Vardy handing the visitors the lead with half an hour on the clock.</p>
<p>Late in first-half stoppage time, Welbeck scored to end the first half even at 2-2.</p>
<p>Leicester took the lead once again in the 56th minute as Vardy scored his second goal of the match with an assist from Riyad Mahrez.</p>
<p>Proving his status as a tactical genius, Wenger made a double switch in the 67th minute as Giroud and Ramsey came on in place of Elneny and Rob Holding.</p>
<p>The change paid off. Ramsey met a cross from Xhaka in the 83rd minute and deposited it into the back of the net to draw his side level 3-3.</p>
<p>Giroud would complete the home side’s comeback just two minutes later. The Frenchman headed home from a Xhaka cross to give the Gunner’s a hard-fought opening day 4-3 victory.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Arsenal 4-2 Tottenham - December 2, 2018 </a>
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<h2>Arsenal 4-2 Tottenham December 2, 2018</h2>
<p>Unai Emery’s first North London derby was an emotional rollercoaster for those inside the Emirates. The ending, however, was pure delight as the Gunners stormed back to prove once again that North London is red.</p>
<p>Arsenal benefited early on when Spurs’ defender Jan Vertonghen handled the ball in the tenth minute. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang stepped up and gave the home side the lead from the spot.</p>
<p>The intensity level ratcheted up when Eric Dier scored from a well-placed Christian Eriksen cross. Dier’s celebration in front of the Arsenal supporters led to a bit of pushing and shoving before the match could carry on.</p>
<p>Of course, no North London derby would be complete without Harry Kane scoring from the penalty spot. That’s exactly what happened in the 34th minute when Rob Holding was guilty of a mistimed challenge on Son Heung-min.</p>
<p>In classic Emery style, Alexandre Lacazette and Aaron Ramsey came on at the start of the second half and the changes proved decisive.</p>
<p>Ramsey set up Aubameyang to equalize ten minutes after the restart. Lacazette then gave Arsenal the lead in the 74th minute when his deflected shot found the back of the net.</p>
<p>The comeback was emphatically sealed when Torreira ran through on goal to notch Arsenal’s fourth goal of the day. The Uruguayan ripped off his shirt in celebration and the crowd erupted.</p>
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<p>— Lucas Torreira #LT14 (@LTorreira34) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://twitter.com/LTorreira34/status/1069300609793355777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>December 2, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Torreira was named Man of the match. In addition to his goal the Uruguayan won the ball back from Tottenham no fewer than 12 times. Arsenal’s relentless attacking performance to overpower Tottenham was a “special” moment, said Emery.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
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<h2>Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal – October 29, 1999</h2>
<p>There was a time when Chelsea was not owned by a Russian billionaire. Back then they were a good side, but one that Arsenal got the better of regularly. That was the case when the Gunners visited Stamford Bridge in October 1999.</p>
<p>On this day, a new cult hero was born as Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu single-handedly won his side the match. Trailing by two goals with just 15 minutes remaining, the striker registered a hat-trick to five his side a 3-2 comeback victory.</p>
<p>It looked unlikely early on when Chelsea’s Tore Andre Flo scored a header in the 38th minute. The Blues went into the break 1-0 up. Chelsea then went up by two when midfielder Dan Petrescu scored just seven minutes into the second half.</p>
<p>With the rain pouring down, the Gunners still trailed by two with just 15 minutes left in the match.</p>
<p>Chelsea appeared to have a comfortable victory over their London rivals. However, they collapsed as Kanu scored in the 75th, 83rd, and 90th minutes to stun the crowd inside Stamford Bridge.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/993668454627540994</p>
<p>Kanu’s game-winner in the last minute of the match was a thing of beauty. He rounded Chelsea keeper Ed de Goey and from a tight angle sent a shot over the heads of two Chelsea defenders and into the net. It remains one of the all-time great Arsenal goals.</p>
<p>Kanu believe it?</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2020 FA Cup Final: Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-123976" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1227872163-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389"></p>
<h2>2020 FA Cup Final – Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea</h2>
<p>The 2020 FA Cup Final was like no other as it was played during a global pandemic. There were several noticeable differences:</p>
<ul>
<li>The match was played in August instead of May due to Premier League shutdowns and COVID-induced postponements.</li>
<li>The game was contested behind closed doors with no fans allowed.</li>
</ul>
<p>Arsenal found themselves behind quickly as Christian Pulisic scored from close range five minutes into the match.</p>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> I’m still torn about Pulisic. As an American, it was amazing to see him become the first player from the United States to score in an FA Cup final. As an Arsenal fan, however, it disgusts me that he plays for Chelsea.</p>
<p>In the 28th minute, Aubameyang was fouled by Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta. The defender received a yellow card and Arsenal was awarded a penalty. The Gunners’ captain scored and the match went into the half level 1-1.</p>
<p>The game-winner came in the 67th minute as Aubameyang made Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma look foolish (as we have since learned, he needs no help with this). He then evaded the Blues’ defense and sent a chip shot over keeper Willy Caballero into the net.</p>
<p>Arsenal’s defense held tight and the Gunners won the club’s record 14th FA Cup. It was Arteta’s first piece of silverware as manager. He holds the distinction of being the only person to both captain and manage Arsenal to FA Cup victories.</p>
<p>Of course, Aubameyang was named Man of the match and held the trophy aloft in front of his jubilant teammates.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
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<h2>Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United – January 21, 2007</h2>
<p>It wasn’t that long ago when Manchester United and Arsenal routinely battled for Premier League supremacy. Such was the case when the two sides met in January 2007. It was the 200th all-time meeting of the two clubs.</p>
<p>United went into the match atop the table with the Gunners sitting fourth and twelve points behind their rivals.</p>
<p>It was a hard-fought first half and remained goalless at the break.</p>
<p>However, eight minutes into the second half, Wayne Rooney headed home a goal from defender Patrice Evra to give his side the lead.</p>
<p>With less than ten minutes remaining on the clock, it appeared that United would extend their Premiership lead. Yet it was not to be as the home side staged an exhilarating comeback that led to celebrations throughout the Emirates.</p>
<p>Robin van Persie scored from a Tomas Rosicky cross in the 83rd minute. His celebration, unfortunately, resulted in a partial fracture of the Dutchman’s fifth metatarsal in his right foot.</p>
<p>On this day there was no Fergie time added to the clock. Instead, it was Thierry Henry time. Arsenal cult hero Emmanuel Eboue provided the cross that Henry headed past United’s Edwin Van der Sar to give the home side a famous win.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
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<h2>Reading 5-7 Arsenal – October 30, 2012</h2>
<p>One of my biggest personal Arsenal regrets was this match. I was in London and planned on taking the train to Reading and the Madejski Stadium to attend the League Cup fourth-round contest. Unfortunately, I got lazy and decided to give it a miss. It was definitely a big mistake as this was a crazy and historic game.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>As is often the case in the League Cup, Wenger gave starts to some of his fringe players including Carl Jenkinson, Johan Djourou, Emmanuel Frimpong, and Ignasi Miquel.</p>
<p>Reading got off to a fast start when Andrei Arshavin’s poor pass led to a Jason Roberts goal in the 12th minute. Six minutes later the Royals had two as Laurent Koscielny found himself under pressure and scored an own goal.</p>
<p>Two minutes later the Gunners were down by three when Mikele Leigertwood scored from a cleared corner. With eight minutes remaining in the first half, the misery for the Gunners continued. Noel Hunt nodded home a cross to make it 4-0 to Reading.</p>
<p>Arsenal saved a bit of face and kept hope alive when Theo Walcott scored in first-half stoppage time.</p>
<p>The second half was all Arsenal. Olivier Giroud scored from a corner in the 64th minute, and then with just minutes remaining the Gunners turned the game on its head. Koscielny scored in the 89th minute and Walcott struck again in the sixth minute of stoppage time to send the match into extra time.</p>
<p>None other than Moroccon Marouane Chamakh gave Arsenal its first lead of the match, scoring in the 103rd minute. The Gunners appeared to be on the ascendancy, but Reading still had a bit of fight left in them.</p>
<p>Reading substitute, Pavel Pogrebnyak, sent the ball past Emiliano Martinez with just five minutes remaining. The score was tied once again.</p>
<p>It appeared that the match would have to be decided on penalties as the game headed to two minutes of stoppage time. Instead, Walcott scored his second of the day to give Arsenal the lead. Then with seconds remaining on the clock Chamakh made sure the comeback was complete with his second goal of the day, a delightful chip from distance.</p>
<p>When I decided not to travel to Reading, I instead listened to this match on the radio. When Arsenal was down by four at the half, I felt as if I had made a good choice. 45 minutes later, I was kicking myself and regretting my decision to skip the trip to Reading. What a game.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> FA Cup Final 2014: Arsenal 3-2 Hull </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—></p><hr id="pagebreak"><p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-122413" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F491764371-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, MA" width="590" height="389"></p>
<h2>FA Cup Final 2014: Arsenal 3-2 Hull</h2>
<p>Heading into the 2014 FA Cup Final, the pressure was on the Gunners as Wenger’s side had not won a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup. The grumbling of the fans was constant and the first cracks in Wenger’s stature were starting to show.</p>
<p>Arsenal was heavily favored against Hull City who finished the season more than 40 points behind the Gunners and just four points above the relegation zone. Most viewers were confident that it would be an easy win for the Londoners.</p>
<p>Eight minutes after kick off, that confidence had faded and a sense of dread came over Arsenal fans from wherever they were viewing this match. Goals from James Chester and Curtis Davies had the Tigers up by two.</p>
<p>Nerves were settled a bit when the always-reliable Santi Cazorla scored a beautiful goal from 27 yards out on a free kick. If he doesn’t score that goal, Arsenal don’t win that final.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Santi Cazorla's Free-Kick vs Hull<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/AFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#AFC</a> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://t.co/8vUNebvLN8">pic.twitter.com/8vUNebvLN8
<p>— Arsenal Goals (@Arsenal_Goals) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://twitter.com/Arsenal_Goals/status/667735217688453123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>November 20, 2015</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Hull held the lead 2-1 with less than twenty minutes remaining on the clock.</p>
<p>Arsenal was awarded a corner in the 71st minute. Bacary Sagna rose to meet the ball and his deflected shot was met by Koscielny who swiveled and sent the ball into the Hull goal.</p>
<p>The match was level at the end of 90 minutes and the game went into added extra time. The tension was palpable with the outcome yet to be decided and just eleven minutes of added time remaining.</p>
<p>It was Welshman Aaron Ramsey who played the hero’s role on this day. His winning strike in the 109th minute led to extraordinary scenes of his teammates and the Arsenal supporters celebrating wildly.</p>
<p>Ramsey’s strike took away the possibility of the match being decided on penalties and saved the reputation of his long-time manager.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Arsenal's World Cup quartet?" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/arsenal-trio-deserved-recognition-qatar/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/10-best-arsenal-comeback-wins/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/02/28/arsenal-trio-deserved-recognition-qatar/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Arsenal's World Cup quartet? </a> </div>
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<p>The Gunners hung on to finish out the match and Wenger’s side won its first trophy in nine years by a final score of 3-2.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
