Martinelli rescues Arsenal with late equaliser against Man. City

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Arsenal staged a dramatic late fightback to earn a share of the spoils against Manchester City, as Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time strike cancelled out Erling Haaland’s early opener in a fiercely contested 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.

The game began with high intensity, and City drew first blood in the ninth minute through Haaland.

The Norwegian forward, who had been tightly marked early on, demonstrated his ruthless efficiency when Tijjani Reijnders launched a quick counter-attacking move.

Haaland latched onto the precise pass and rifled home a first-time finish from close range, silencing the home crowd and putting the visitors firmly in control.

Arsenal, however, responded with resilience. Noni Madueke, who looked lively on the flank, came agonisingly close to equalising in first-half stoppage time when he latched onto a defence-splitting pass and fired a shot destined for the corner, only for Gianluigi Donnarumma to produce an outstanding save.

Moments later, Martin Zubimendi went inches away with a powerful strike that skimmed the crossbar, underlining the Gunners’ growing confidence.

After the break, Mikel Arteta’s men continued to push forward, but City remained a constant threat on the counter.

Haaland almost doubled his tally in the 57th minute, creating space inside the penalty area and unleashing a fierce low drive, but Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was equal to it, parrying the ball away before the defence scrambled clear.

Jeremy Doku then wove his way through Arsenal’s backline with 10 minutes left, but his effort veered narrowly past the upright.

With time slipping away, Arsenal’s persistence was finally rewarded in stoppage time.

Eberechi Eze, introduced as a substitute, spotted Martinelli on the edge of the box and threaded a perfectly weighted pass.

The Brazilian forward, with characteristic composure, lifted the ball delicately over the onrushing Donnarumma to spark jubilation among the home supporters.

The goal ensured Arsenal avoided a defeat to City, while leaving Pep Guardiola’s side frustrated after failing to convert their dominance into a decisive second goal.

The result sees both sides remain firmly in the title conversation, with City ruing missed opportunities and Arsenal celebrating the character shown to snatch a late equaliser.