Reading 5–7 Arsenal (2012)
Event | 2012–13 Football League Cup | ||||||
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After extra time | |||||||
Date | 30 October 2012 | ||||||
Venue | Madejski Stadium, Reading | ||||||
Referee | Kevin Friend (Leicestershire) | ||||||
Attendance | 23,980[1] | ||||||
Weather | Clear, 6 °C (43 °F)[2] |
The 2012–13 Football League Cup fourth round tie pitted Premier League sides Reading and Arsenal to contest for a quarter-final spot. The match ended in a 7–5 win for Arsenal, in the highest-scoring match in League Cup history. Reading had taken a 4–0 lead in the first half, but Theo Walcott reduced the deficit in first-half stoppage time. This was followed by second-half goals from Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny and Theo Walcott as the match ended 4–4 after regulation time. In extra-time, Arsenal took the lead through Marouane Chamakh, before Pavel Pogrebnyak made it 5–5 with five minutes remaining; however late goals from Theo Walcott (to complete his hat-trick) and Chamakh handed Arsenal victory.[3]
The match is regarded as one of the most entertaining of recent history. It is the joint highest-scoring match in the history of Arsenal; it is also the joint-highest scoring match in
The match was the first time in Arsenal's history that they had come back from three or more goals down to win a match,[3] and the first time they had netted seven in an away tie since the 7–0 win at Standard Liège in the 1993–94 European Cup Winners' Cup.Arsenal lined up in a 4–5–1/4–2–3–1 formation, with Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin shifting between winging midfield and attack to support lone striker Marouane Chamakh.[5] Reading meanwhile set up with six changes from their last game; Arsenal made eleven.[6]
Background
This game marked the 10th occasion that Reading and Arsenal had played each other, with the Gunners favourites to win the tie. They had won all ten previous meetings with "The Royals";[7] their most recent meeting had come in the Premier League in April 2008, which the Gunners won 2–0.[7] Arsenal were aiming to reach the last eight of the League Cup for the tenth successive season.[3] Pre-match, Arsenal stood 6th in Premier League, some six points off the top; in contrast Reading were 18th and one of two winless sides. Arsenal had started the Premier League season well, not losing until the sixth match and not conceding until the fourth, a 6–1 home win over
The two sides had first met on 16 February 1935, in the
Pre-match
At the Arsenal Annual General Meeting, manager Arsène Wenger had made it clear that the League Cup was fifth on his list of priorities; the
Match
Overview
Arsenal kicked off the match in their classic red shirts with white sleeves; Reading in their home strip of blue and white stripes.[14] Reading started the match on the front foot, hitting the post in the 3rd minute through Sean Morrison, before a Jay Tabb shot was blocked in the 9th minute.[15] But three minutes later, Reading had their goal. Andrey Arshavin gave the ball away and the home side quickly countered, with Jason Roberts firing in Hal Robson-Kanu`s cross to give Reading a "deserved" advantage.[15] It was soon 2–0, with Chris Gunter firing the ball in from the byline, where Laurent Koscielny attempted to divert clear, only to stab the ball into his own net.[15] Just two minutes later, and
Two minutes of added time were awarded; in the last of those, a neat through-ball from Andrey Arshavin found Walcott in acres of space, and the Englishman's dinked finish made it 4–1 at half-time.
The second half started with penalty calls from both sides, with Chamakh being booked for complaining about the latter one, and a post being struck by Walcott. Despite there being chances at both ends, it was Arsenal who struck first in the second half, Olivier Giroud steering a header into the far corner after a well-taken Walcott corner.[15] Arsenal continued to dominate the second half, but didn't get the crucial third goal until another Walcott corner was headed in-this time by Koscielny, who made amends for his first-half own goal to make it 4–3. Time was running out before Walcott surged into the box and fired towards goal, but the ball was seemingly hooked away by Nicky Shorey before being fired in by Carl Jenkinson. The goal was credited to Walcott however, though it was not without controversy, as the goal had been scored in the 96th minute, with only four minutes of stoppage time being awarded. The game finished 4–4 and the game went to extra time, though first Olivier Giroud and Francis Coquelin had to collect his shirt from the crowd after throwing it in, seemingly thinking it was full-time.[17] Extra-time started with early chances for substitute Thomas Eisfeld and Arshavin, neither of whom converted.[15] Half-time was drawing near when neat play on the left-hand side saw Arshavin lay the ball off to Chamakh, who scored his first goal in over a year to make it 5–4 to Arsenal.[15] However, the scoring was not done yet. With five minutes to go, a cross from Robson-Kanu evaded the Arsenal defenders and came to Gunter, whose deflected cross was nodded in by Pavel Pogrebnyak to make it 5–5.[17] Reading now had the initiative, but had just two minutes of stoppage time. However, it was Arsenal who grabbed the crucial sixth goal after Arshavin-released down the left-saw his run and driving shot blocked by Federici before Walcott slammed it in to make it 6–5. But the scoring still was not done. After a final Reading attack, Walcott cleared the ball away only for Gunter to miss his header and give Chamakh a one-on-one with Federici, and his calm lobbed finish saw Arsenal make it 7–5. It proved to be the last act of the game, as Arsenal qualified for the quarter-finals of the
Details
Reading | 5–7 (a.e.t.) | Arsenal |
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Roberts 12' Koscielny 18' (o.g.) Leigertwood 20' Hunt 37' Pogrebnyak 115' |
Report | Walcott 45+2, 90+6, 120+1' Giroud 64' Koscielny 89' Chamakh 103, 120+3' |
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Post-match and reaction
This match is widely regarded as one of the most remarkable of modern times.[17][18][3][19] It is also thought to be one of the finest comebacks in football history; it was the first time Arsenal had ever come back from a 3+ goal deficit to win.[3] Arsène Wenger described the Arsenal comeback as something that took them from "disaster to pride." "We went from disaster to pride," he said, "you cannot play for Arsenal and give up. It was 4-0 and could have been one or two more. We came back but at 89 minutes it was still 4-2. Then the miracle happened. There were so many turning points. Our first goal before half-time was important. It's my first 7-5. It was a tennis score." Despite his pride, Wenger still offered some consolation to McDermott: "I know how it feels to lose a 4-0 lead - it happened to me at Newcastle. I always hoped we could come back. It's strange to explain. At 4-0 you think you have won the game, but at 4-2 the panic starts to set in. "At 4-0 I didn't feel great, I started to think about half-time. Inspiration was not difficult. I just felt sorry for the fans, they stuck with us. A big part stayed and supported us and I give them credit. I give the ones who left less credit. "This was maybe my greatest comeback. [The League Cup] is not my priority but had we gone out like we could have gone out it would not have been one of my proudest nights."
Meanwhile, Reading boss Brian McDermott said that the defeat was the worst of his career. "It was kamikaze football. It was extraordinary," he said. "It's the worst defeat of my career. It is embarrassing but we have to take it on the chin and move on. It's hard to take positives but we have to." He did, however, criticise referee Kevin Friend after Walcott's 96th-minute goal, despite only four minutes of stoppage time being awarded. "Obviously it doesn't help that the referee added two minutes on to the four minutes of injury time to make it six. You can't tell the time as wrong as that, but he did." The turning point, in his eyes, was the Walcott goal just before half-time. "I wasn't comfortable at 4-1. I don't know why, I just wasn't. We had to go in at 4-0. That gave them impetus they didn't need. It was suicide what went on in that second half and extra time." "At full-time nothing needed to be said to the players. Sometimes the less said the better. We know what happened."[20]
The result did not, as hoped, have an immediate effect on what had been an inconsistent start to the season for
Reading meanwhile continued their poor form, not winning a league game until November and just two before New Years, and just four more afterwards as they ultimately finished 19th, some 11 points off of safety.
Records
There were several records set in this match, including the following:
- Highest-scoring League Cup match of all time(now joint).[3]
- Joint highest-scoring match in Arsenal history.[3]
- First time Arsenal had ever come from 3+ goals down to win a match.[3]
- Joint-most goals scored by Arsenal in an away match(7).
- Most goals scored in extra-time in an Arsenal match.
See also
- 2012–13 Football League Cup
- 2012–13 Arsenal F.C. season
- 13 Reading F.C. season
- 13 in English football
References
- ^ Fraser, Peter (31 October 2012). "Reading 5 - 7 Arsenal - Match Report & Highlights". Skysports.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "History for London, United Kingdom". Weather Underground. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Smith, Ben (30 October 2012). "Reading 5-7 Arsenal (aet) - BBC Sport". Bbc.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Dagenham & Redbridge 6-6 Brentford (2-4 pens) - BBC Sport". Bbc.com. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Reading v Arsenal, 30 October 2012 - 11v11 match report". 11v11.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ Sean Ingle. "Reading 5-7 Arsenal: as it happened | Football". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Reading football club: record v Arsenal". www.11v11.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Results". www.skysports.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "New Sunderland date". www.readingfc.co.uk.
- ^ "Reading v Arsenal, 16 February 1935". 11v11.com.
- ^ "Report". arseblog.news. 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ Sheringham, Sam (27 October 2012). "Reading 3-3 Fulham - BBC Sport". Bbc.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Starting Lineups - Reading vs Arsenal | 30.10.2012". Skysports.com. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Reading (a) - 1st half | Arsenal Player". Player.arsenal.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Sean Ingle. "Reading 5-7 Arsenal: as it happened | Football". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "THE CRAZIEST MATCH EVER! | Reading 5-7 Arsenal | Classic highlights | 2012". YouTube. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ a b c "Reading 5-7 Arsenal: remembering the most ridiculous game in League Cup history". Thesefootballtimes.co. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Reading 5 - 7 Arsenal. The most incredible game of football I've ever watched. : soccer". Reddit.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ White, Jim (17 April 2015). "Reading v Arsenal: That 'stupid game' when the Gunners came back from 4-0 down". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ Hassan, Nabil (31 October 2012). "Reading 5-7 Arsenal: Brian McDermott rues 'worst' defeat - BBC Sport". Bbc.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ a b "Table". www.premierleague.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Bradford 1 - 1 Arsenal - Match Report & Highlights". Skysports.com. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Results" (Press release). www.skysports.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.