Arsenal continued their quest for a second-place finish in the Premier League with a rousing performances away to Hull City on Monday, defeating the relegation-threatened Tigers, 3-1, at the KC Stadium.
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The game was well and truly over before the halftime whistle sounded, as Arsene Wenger’s side rode three first-half goals, scored by Alexis Sanchez (twice) and Aaron Ramsey, to a comfortable victory.
Sanchez’s free kick from 20 yards out took a severe deflection off a defender in the Hull City wall, sending the ball looping to the far post, dipping under the crossbar at the last moment and wrong-footing goalkeeper Steve Harper in the 28th minute.
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The score was 2-0 to Arsenal five minutes later after Santi Cazorla’s long ball over the top found Ramsey inside the penalty area, where Ramsey made a quick turn to elude the nearest defender and unleash a right-footed. That shot took a deflection as well, looping it toward the far post, which was completely uncovered by Harper, and into the back of the net.
Sanchez’s second was the prettiest of the bunch, as Ramsey’s splitting through ball unlocked the entirety of Hull’s defense, putting the Chilean in one on one with Harper, whom he easily rounded and slotted the ball into the empty net in first-half stoppage time.
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Hull pulled a goal back shortly after halftime through Stephen Quinn’s downward header, which eluded a fully outstretched David Ospina, of Ahmed Elmohamady’s deep cross.
As things stand now, Arsenal are level on points with Manchester City in second place (behind by two on goal differential), while Hull slump ever closer to 18th place and the final relegation spot (one point and seven goals ahead of Sunderland).
LINEUPS
Hull City: Harper, Dawson, Chester, McShane, Elmohamady, Brady, Huddlestone, Livermore (Meyler 46'), Quinn (Jelavic 81'), Aluko (Robertson 65'), N’Doye
Goals: Quinn (56')
Arsenal: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey (Wilshere 68'), Ozil, Alexis, Giroud (Walcott 86')
Goals: Sanchez (28', 45+1'), Ramsey (33')
