Loading...Carling Cup Result: Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle: First for Bendtner
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Arsenal's next generation showed the future is bright as a bullet header from Nicklas Bendtner and a superb strike by Brazilian Denilson beat Newcastle 2-0 at Emirates Stadium.
Manager Arsene Wenger had put his faith in youth for the third-round Carling Cup tie, and last season's losing finalists showed they have both the hunger and undoubted talent in depth to make another strong run in the competition.
After dominating for long spells, the breakthrough eventually came when Bendtner powered in his first senior Arsenal goal on 83 minutes from Armand Traore's deep cross.Captain Philippe Senderos had to clear off the line - but Denilson made sure of the result with a fine 20-yard strike.
Few sides will now fancy meeting the young Gunners in the fourth round and with Arsenal currently top of the Premier League, the foundations are in place for what could be a vintage season to remember.
Arsenal had severely reduced ticket prices to ensure a bumper attendance for the game.
However, there were plenty of empty seats once the action got under way, which was not surprising given the pre-match travel problems around north London on the Underground.
The hosts started brightly, with Eduardo - the Croatian international signed during the summer - causing problems down the right.
It was, though, Newcastle who created the first decent opening on 10 minutes, Sanchez Jose Enrique sent over a deep cross from the left towards the far post.
Obafemi Martins got up above the defence and headed the ball downwards, but Pole Lukasz Fabianski - on his debut - produced a fine low reaction save.
Arsenal slowly started to build some pressure and the hosts could have gone ahead on 17 minutes.
Full-back Traore got away down the Arsenal left and sent over a deep cross towards the penalty spot.
Bendtner, under pressure from David Rozehnal, got plenty of power on his header but could not keep the ball down and it flew high over the bar.
Emmanuel Eboue chipped the ball all the way across the six-yard area from the right but Eduardo was just unable to turn it in at the far post.
The Croatian was then clean through after he pushed a long pass ahead of him.
However, Newcastle keeper Shay Given showed his experience to quickly close down the Arsenal striker on the edge of the area and the loose ball was cleared.
On 37 minutes, Eboue sent in a low drive from 20 yards, which Given did well to palm away. Arsenal again pressed following the restart.
A quick move down the right saw Bendtner cut the ball back to Eboue, who made space for an angled drive, which Given put behind.
The veteran Republic of Ireland man then showed more good reflexes to deny Walcott from close range.
Fit-again Eboue - converted from right-back to midfield this season - was looking lively, and it took a saving block from Steven Taylor to deny the Ivory Coast man inside the six-yard box on 55 minutes.
From the resulting corner, Charles N'Zogbia was in just the right place to clear Eduardo's goal-bound looping header off the line.
Given was having a busy night, as he turned over a left-wing cross from Walcott which suddenly swerved goalwards.
Newcastle felt they had a penalty shout when Martins tumbled under a challenge from Senderos, but referee Howard Webb was not impressed.
Bendtner and Eduardo exchanged neat passes on the edge of the area, but after chesting the ball down, the Croatian scuffed his volley wide.
The Dane then looked to have won it for Arsenal when he powered in a bullet header from Traore's left-wing cross on 83 minutes.
However, there was still time for Senderos to heroically clear off the line after Martins had rounded Fabianski.
The result was then put beyond any doubt when Denilson rifled in a superb 20-yard effort with a minute to go.
Full Report: Soccernet.com
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