Last-gasp Santi Cazorla gives Arsenal win over Southampton

Updated 10/09/2016 at 16:33 GMT

Premier League, Emirates Stadium - Arsenal 2 (Koscielny 29, Cazorla pen 90+4) Southampton 1 (Cech og 18)

Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla celebrate Arsenal's late winner against Southampton

Image credit: AFP

Santi Cazorla scored a stoppage-time penalty as Arsenal snatched a 2-1 win at home to Southampton.

Saints were the better side in the first period and took a deserved lead when Dusan Tadic’s free-kick struck the crossbar and came off Petr Cech’s back before going into the net for an own goal.

Arsene Wenger’s side, who handed debuts to Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez, look disjointed but against the run of the play equalised after a spectacular bicycle kick from Laurent Koscielny on his 31st birthday.

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The Gunners improved after the break and created a string of chances through substitutes Oliver Giroud and Alexis Sanchez but none of them were on target.

It looked to be heading for a frustrating draw for the home side until Giroud was fouled by Jose Fonte in stoppage time and Cazorla slammed in the spot kick to seal victory. But Saints were left furious after Shane Long was fouled in the build-up to the penalty.

Jose Fonte protests against the award of a late penalty to Arsenal

Image credit: Reuters

TALKING POINT

How did Mustafi and Perez fare on their debut? The German defender was solid but did not have much of a test while Perez was isolated for much of the game. He was lurking around the six-yard box for the first half before getting involved in the game a bit more in the second period by dropping deeper.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Santi Cazorla (Arsenal): The Spaniard was the driving force behind Arsenal's attacks despite the lack of service from his team-mates. And he showed nerves of steel to convert the penalty deep into stoppage time to snatch victory.

PLAYER RATINGS

ARSENAL: Cech 6, Mustafi 5, Koscielny 8, Bellerin 7, Monreal 6, Cazorla 8, Coquelin 5, Walcott 5, Ozil 5, Oxlade-Chamberlain 5, Perez 4...Subs: Sanchez 6, Giroud 5, Iwobi 5.

SOUTHAMPTON: Forster 6, Cedric 6, Clasie 6, Fonte 7, Davis 5, Rodriguez 4, Tadic 6, Romeu 5, Van Dijk 7, Bertrand 6, Redmond 5. Subs: Long 5, Hojbjerg 5, Ward-Prowse 5.

MATCHCAST: STATS, TWEETS AND FULL COMMENTARY

KEY MOMENTS

18’ - OWN GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Southampton: Tadic's free-kick goes in off the bar and off Cech's back into the net. That was very unfortunate for the keeper who got his fingertips to the set piece but the ball ricocheted off him.

Southampton celebrate opening the scoring against Arsenal

Image credit: Reuters

23’ – WALCOTT CHANCE! Oxlade-Chamberlain wins a free-kick near the corner flag after being bundled over by Fonte. The set piece from Cazorla finds Walcott and his header goes narrowly over the bar.

29’ - GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Southampton: The corner is flicked on and Koscielny unleashes a brilliant bicycle kick from around eight yards to make it.

[In Pictures: Koscielny's overhead kick wondergoal]

Laurent Koscielny scores an overhead kick for Arsenal against Southampton

Image credit: Reuters

61’ – BELLERIN EFFORT! Bellerin lashes a low first-time strike from a tight angles across the keeper and goes inches wide.

66’ - WHAT A MISS! Tadic with a lovely backheel into the path of Long who is through on goal and chips the ball over Cech but his effort is well wide.

68’ – SANCHEZ CHANCE! Sanchez collects a nice through ball from Ozil, drives into the box and unleashes a ferocious effort which flies just over the bar.

83’ – CECH DOUBLE SAVE: Cech parries Hojbjerg's drive before using his feet to keep out Long's scuffed effort on the rebound. The striker should have scored!

85’ – GIROUD MISS! The Frenchman’s diving header goes just wide at the near post after a delightful cross from Cazorla.

90’+1 - PENALTY TO ARSENAL! Fonte is penalised for tangling with Giroud and bringing him down, looked harsh as both were wrestling with each other. The Saints players are furious.

90’+4 – GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Southampton: Cazorla slams home the penalty down the middle, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to surely seal the win for Arsenal.