Sunday 21 April 2013

EPL 7-Match LIVE Coverage:


Hello again everyone, and welcome to my latest blog post where I have a round-up of the 7 EPL matches that were being played earlier today.
Among those are Fulham vs Arsenal, Sunderland vs Everton and West Ham vs Wigan. 

Most of the matches today are mid-table or relegation battle matches, as the 2012-13 season draws to a close. 
Arsenal and Everton are the two sides representing the top 6 teams in the league, both playing away from home hoping they can get 3 points to move further up the table and pressure their CL rivals. 

Here are the results from midweek:

Tuesday - Arsenal 0 Everton 0

This was a hotly-contested match, between two sides who both wanted to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League at The Emirates.

The hosts had many chances to break the deadlock, with Cazorla and Oxlade-Chamberlain both playing well to find Giroud with through balls inside the box, but the Frenchman could not finish his chances and the match ended goal-less despite many chances for both sides. 

Wednesday - Manchester City 1 Wigan Athletic 0

This was a mini-dress rehearsal at The Ethiad Stadium, between 2nd placed Manchester City and 18th placed Wigan Athletic went head-to-head a couple of weeks before their big FA Cup Final match-up.

Both sides had chances to break the deadlock, however both goalkeepers (Joe Hart and Joel) did well to deny the opposite forwards. Until the 83rd minute, when City went on the counter attack before Carlos Tevez unleashed a stinging drive which flew into the top corner of the net out of Joel's reach.
 
West Ham United 2 Manchester United 2:

This match was played at Upton Park, as 12th placed West Ham hosted the EPL leaders Manchester United in an interesting match where both teams needed the points. 
If United won, they would only need one win and a draw to secure their record 20th EPL title, while West Ham could move up in the table with a convincing win at home.

Ricardo Vaz Te broke the deadlock for the hosts in the 16th minute, after a cross was converted into the bottom corner of the net past De Gea's reach.
Valencia equalised for United in the 31st minute to make it 1-1, before West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame gave the hosts the lead again with a great strike just outside the box after some lovely footwork and movement.

The hosts felt hard done by in the 77th minute, when Netherlands striker Robin van Persie scored a rebounded shot from an OFFSIDE position  

There was not enough time for either side to score the winner, and both sides held on for a point.
 
Fulham 0 Chelsea 3:


This match was played at Craven Cottage, as 11th placed Fulham hosted 4th placed Chelsea in a west London derby. 

The hosts fell behind after 30 minutes, when Brazillian defender David Luiz took an ambitious shot from 40 yards which swerved into the top corner of the net past Mark Schwarzer. 

English defender John Terry scored two headers either side of half-time to give The Blues a comfortable 3-0 win.

Today's EPL Action: 

Fulham 0 Arsenal 1

This match was played at Craven Cottage, as 11th placed Fulham hosted 4th placed Arsenal in the hosts' 2nd London derby in the space of 3 days. 
German defender Per Mertesacker scored the only goal of the game in the 43rd minute for Arsenal as they took home a vital 3 points on their course to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League. 

Rare goal for him: Mertesacker converts his chance into the net to give Arsenal a 1-0 lead before half-time.

Vital goal: Per Mertesacker celebrates his goal with team-mate Nacho Monreal.

Fulham defensive midfielder Steve Sidwell was given a straight red card after a dangerous tackle on Mikel Arteta in the 12th minute. The match turned on its head after that, and the hosts were on the back foot with a man less.

Dangerous tackle: Steve Sidwell dives in recklessly with a challenge on Mikel Arteta.

Game changer: Sidwell is given a straight red card which puts Fulham on the back foot.

Olivier Giroud was given a straight red card in the 90th minute, but that had no effect on the end result, with The Gunners winning their last 3 away matches in a row. 

Not needed: Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud is sent off in the last minute.

Sunderland 1 Everton 0

This match was played at The Stadium of Light, as rejuvenated Sunderland hosted 6th placed Everton.
This was an end-to-end game, with both teams have chances while Mignolet and Howard did well to make good saves. 

Midfielder Stephane Sessgnon scored the only goal of the game with a low drilled shot which was parried slightly by Tim Howard, but span into the net and gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the 45th minute.

Sessegnon scores his 2nd goal in 2 matches after his strike against Newcastle in the Tyne-Wear derby

In-form Sunderland? Sessegnon celebrates his goal that extends their unbeaten run to 3 games and moves them up to 14th

Everton were desperate to get back into the match, and had many chances with Mirallas, Baines and Fellaini all going close but were all denied by in-form goalkeeper Mignolet who did well to keep a clean sheet.  


QPR 0 Stoke City 2

19th placed QPR hosted 14th placed Stoke, in a relegation dog-fight match with both sides needing 3 points to keep their EPL survival hopes alive.

Moroccan playmaker Adel Taarabt had a swerving shot which just went over the bar in the first minute, while Peter Crouch had a great shot but was denied well by goalkeeper Rob Green.  

Peter Crouch broke the deadlock just before half-time after cooly slotting home a tap-in past Green into the net to cap off a good Stoke counter attack. 

Taarabt and Townsend both had to be replaced due to injury for QPR, and the hosts never looked the same again.

A penalty was given in the 74th minute after some contact inside the box with some pushing and shoving, before striker Jonathan Walters scored twice (had to be re-taken) to give Stoke a comfortable 2-0 lead with 15 minutes to play.    

Composure: Jonathan Walters blasts the ball past Green into the net to give Stoke a 2-0 lead.

You can see what it means: Walters celebrates his goal with passion alongside team-mate Jerome.
The match ended 2-0, and QPR moved further into more relegation trouble.  

West Brom 1 Newcastle United 1
Swansea 0 Southampton 0  
West Ham United 2 Wigan Athletic 0  
Norwich City 2 Reading 1 

No comments:

Post a Comment