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Full Time After Extra Time This is a live match. Extra Time Half Time

Swansea City vs Arsenal. Premier League.

Swansea.com StadiumAttendance20,409.

Swansea City 3

  • S Sinclair (16th minute pen)
  • N Dyer (57th minute)
  • D Graham (70th minute)

Arsenal 2

  • R van Persie (5th minute)
  • T Walcott (69th minute)

Swans edge five-goal thriller

Danny Graham landed the knockout blow as Swansea edged a five-goal thriller against Arsenal at the Liberty Stadium.

Graham notches decisive strike in 3-2 win over Gunners

Danny Graham landed the knockout blow as Swansea edged a five-goal thriller against Arsenal at the Liberty Stadium. Robin van Persie put the Gunners ahead in the fifth minute but the Swans were level 11 minutes later via Scott Sinclair from the penalty spot after Nathan Dyer had been fouled by Aaron Ramsey in the box. Nathan Dyer then handed Brendan Rodgers' side a 57th minute lead but Theo Walcott restored parity on 69 minutes. But Graham slotted home from a tight angle less than a minute later to hand the hosts a victory which sends them up to 10th in the table, while the Gunners sit in fifth. Swansea boss Rodgers had called on England manager Fabio Capello to visit South Wales to watch his side in action, with Dyer and Sinclair having been linked with a call-up to the national squad, and with the Italian in attendance the duo could not have done much more to enhance their aspirations in an enthralling encounter. Arsene Wenger had recalled Van Persie to his Arsenal side after his recent extended break, and it did not take the Dutchman long to get back in the swing of things. Andrey Arshavin's pass carved Swansea apart, and the striker made no mistake as he checked before firing past Steven Caulker and goalkeeper Michel Vorm from a tight angle for his 22nd goal of the season.

Knocked wind

The breakthrough initially knocked the wind out of Swansea's sails but they were level after 16 minutes. After sharp play down the left by the excellent Joe Allen, Dyer went down under Ramsey's challenge for referee Michael Oliver to award a penalty. Sinclair converted into Wojciech Szczesny's left-hand corner to maintain his 100% record from the spot this term. The game was living up to predictions of an entertaining contest and the Gunners could have re-established their lead just two minutes later as Ramsey skipped past Vorm and pulled the ball across the six-yard box, only for a fortunate ricochet off Angel Rangel to land in the goalkeeper's arms. The visitors continued to carve out the clearer chances, and Van Persie should have done better when played in just before the half-hour mark. Swansea captain Ashley Williams was caught hopelessly upfield after Leon Britton had been dispossessed by Yossi Benayoun, the Israeli's pass found his team-mate in acres of space but Vorm stood up well to repel his right-footed shot. Arsenal could have mirrored their first-half start but failed to make the most of two presentable chances in the opening moments of the second period. Walcott blazed over after being located down the right channel by Van Persie, while Arshavin was equally wasteful after being teed up in space on the edge of the box.
No let off
But there was no such let off at the other end when Dyer put Swansea ahead after 57 minutes. Ramsey was easily robbed by Wales team-mate Allen and the midfielder picked out Dyer for the winger to shoot high into the net and give Swansea a merited lead. Wenger had seen enough and Thierry Henry was sprung from the bench along with Tomas Rosicky as the ineffectual Arshavin and Benayoun made way. Swansea were having their best spell of the game but they were made to pay for a poor lapse in defence as Johan Djourou's pass split Neil Taylor and Williams for Walcott to clip the ball over Vorm and level after 69 minutes. But the parity lasted less than a minute as substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson's pass saw Graham race in and make the most of Szczesny's hesitancy in advancing from his line to put Swansea back in front. Per Mertesacker should have levelled barely two minutes later but the German defender horribly scuffed his effort wide from close range, then Ramsey aimed his bullet header from Walcott's cross straight at Vorm as Arsenal threw numbers forward. The Gunners' last chance came when Rosicky drove to the edge of the Swansea box and forced Vorm to beat out his drive before gathering Laurent Koscielny's follow-up as the home side held out to spark delirious celebrations at the final whistle.
Swansea City Team Statistics Arsenal
3 Goals 2
1 1st Half Goals 1
4 Shots on Target 8
4 Shots off Target 6
2 Blocked Shots 4
9 Corners 2
9 Fouls 10
4 Offsides 4
0 Yellow Cards 0
0 Red Cards 0
80.4 Passing Success 78.7
26 Tackles 20
84.6 Tackles Success 60
55.2 Possession 44.8
43.2 Territorial Advantage 56.8
526 Total Passes 428
24 Total Crosses 17
182 Lost Balls 164
70 Recoveries 67
61.2 1st Half Poss. 38.8
48.8 2nd Half Poss. 51.2

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