The FA Cup Fifth Round : Arsenal 3-0 Burnley

The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Fifth Round
8th Mar 2009
KO 13:30
Ground: Emirates Stadium
Att: 57,454

Goals Scoed By: Vela 25, Eduardo 51, Eboue 84.

Arsenal easily overcame Championship side Burnley 3-0 at the Emirates with goals from Carlos Vela, Eduardo and Emmanuel Eboue sealing an FA Cup quarter-final spot.

Owen Coyle's side rarely threatened and the Gunners were able to exact some revenge for their Carling Cup defeat at the hands of Burnley at Turf Moor in December.

The result was never in doubt as soon as Vela outran the defence and delicately chipped over the onrushing Brian Jensen after 25 minutes.

If the first goal was good the second was exquisite. Alexandre Song clipped a cross towards Eduardo at the back post and the Croatian, with the outside of his left foot, volleyed the ball back into the top corner across Jensen on 51 minutes.

The game was dead and buried after 84 minutes when Song was involved again this time back heeling to the onrushing Eboue who fired past Jensen to clinch a last-eight meeting with Hull City.

The Clarets started with plenty of attacking intentions in a fluid 4-3-3 formation. Song made a well-timed challenge on Kevin McDonald as the visitors had the best of the early possession.

Eboue sprung the offside trap into the left side of the penalty area on seven minutes, but as he shaped to shoot, Burnley captain Steve Caldwell made a superb sliding tackle.

The Gunners finally took the lead with a fine breakaway goal on 25 minutes.

Andrey Arshavin latched onto a loose pass and threaded it through to Vela.

The Mexican teenager pushed the ball between Clarke Carlisle's legs and raced away towards goal. Joey Gudjonsson tugged back at his shirt, but Vela only had one thing on his mind as he reached the edge of the area before chipping the ball over Jensen into the net.

The goal settled down the Emirates Stadium crowd and, as torrential rain suddenly swept into the ground, Burnley were now in danger of being over-run.

Carlisle made an important block just when Vela looked set to shoot from 18 yards.

Eduardo then chested down a through ball and burst into the box, where only a last-ditch tackle from Caldwell prevented him from extending the lead.

There was, though, a scramble in the Arsenal six-yard box when reserve keeper Lukasz Fabianski flapped at a near-post corner, which bounced off Chris McCann and then William Gallas before being hacked away.

Just before the break, Jensen tipped Eboue's angled drive around his right-hand post.

Arsenal doubled their advantage with another well-worked goal six minutes into the second half.

Song chipped an angled ball over into the right side of the penalty area - where Eduardo had timed the run perfectly to flash in a superb volley off the outside of his left foot.

Burnley, though, refused to lie down and Martin Paterson sent a curling effort just wide from 18 yards, before Eagles was replaced by Wade Elliott.

Arsenal soon regained full control and it only looked a matter of time before the hosts chalked up a third, with Arshavin's header just lacking the power to beat Jensen.

Eduardo should have scored again when he was picked out at the far post by a deep cross from Sagna - but this time the Brazilian-born Croatia marksman could only head the ball back across goal and wide from six yards.

Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey and England winger Theo Walcott were introduced for the final 20 minutes.

Walcott almost marked his return with a goal when latching onto Arshavin's pass, but Jensen was out quickly to make a smart save.

Substitute Robin van Persie missed his kick at the far post, before Arsenal finally made it 3-0 with five minutes left.

Song's clever back-heel put Eboue clear into the right side of the penalty area and he drilled the ball into the far corner from close range.

A header from Caldwell hit the top of the crossbar following a corner - but there was to be no consolation goal for the brave, but outclassed visitors.

ARSENAL TEAM SHEET:
Lukasz Fabianski
Bacary Sagna
Johan Djourou
William Gallas
Kieran Gibbs
Emmanuel Eboue
Alex Song
Abou Diaby(71)
Carlos Vela(60)
Andrey Arshavin
Eduardo (c)(71)

Substitutes
Manuel Almunia
Robin Van Persie(60)
Theo Walcott(71)
Aaron Ramsey(71)
Gael Clichy
Nicklas Bendtner
Amaury Bischoff

oh yeah.... we`re back.....