LONDON, 18 December 2003 — A second-string Arsenal side beat first division West Bromwich Albion 2-0 and Bolton Wanderers edged Southampton 1-0 after extra time to reach the League Cup semifinals on Tuesday.
Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu gave Arsenal a 25th minute lead and French strike partner Jeremie Aliadiere was gifted the other after a howler by West Brom goalkeeper Russell Hoult in the 57th minute.
Danish striker Henrik Pedersen grabbed the winner for Bolton with just five minutes left of extra time at the Reebok Stadium in the night’s other quarterfinal.
Though Arsenal finished up as comfortable winners, they led a charmed life in the first half as two penalty appeals against defender Martin Keown were dismissed by referee Matt Messias, West Brom midfielder James O’Connor had a header disallowed for offside and teammate Neil Clement hit the bar. Arsenal took their only chance when Lauren’s deflected cross was met with a powerful header by Kanu, Hoult parried but the Nigerian snapped up the loose ball from point-blank range.
West Brom squandered further chances after the break before Hoult collected a simple backpass from Danish defender Thomas Gaardsoe, made a complete hash of his attempt to pass the ball on and allowed Aliadiere to intercept and rifle home.
Bolton had the lion’s share of their first half but Southampton, FA Cup finalists last season, stepped up a gear after the break as chances fell at both ends.
But the matchwinner was once again Pedersen, whose last-minute cross on Saturday became an own goal by Chelsea defender John Terry in Bolton’s shock 2-1 away victory.
Bayern Move Up to Second
Place With 6-0 Win
Two goals by Dutch striker Roy Makaay helped Bayern Munich to a 6-0 demolition of SC Freiburg on Tuesday that lifted the German champions into second place in the Bundesliga. Leaders Werder Bremen are four points clear after securing top spot at the halfway point of the season with a 3-0 home victory over lowly Hansa Rostock but the performance of the day came from Bayern.
Three days after a 1-0 home over VfB Stuttgart, the Munich side produced their most convincing display this season in Freiburg to overtake Stuttgart on goal difference.
Stuttgart, who suffered their first league defeat of the season in Munich on Saturday, can recapture second place with at least a draw against fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen in their last game before the winter break.
Bayern, who had failed to meet expectations so far this season, recorded their highest away victory since a 7-1 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach in 1979.
The four-times European champions, who will face a daunting task against Real Madrid in the first knockout stage of the Champions League, made a perfect start by taking the lead with a header by Argentine midfielder Martin Demichelis on six minutes.
Goals from Bosnia midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic and Makaay followed before the break. Peru striker Claudio Pizarro, Makaay and substitute forward Piotr Trochowski completed the demolition in the second half. Werder struggled at times against Rostock, who had gone six matches without defeat, but the northerners did enough to end the year in the driving seat.
Prolific Brazilian striker Ailton showed them the way with his 16th goal this season on three minutes. French defender Valerien Ismael and Hungary midfielder Krisztian Lisztes wrapped it up after the break.
At the other end, Cologne moved off the bottom with a 3-0 victory over fellow strugglers Hertha Berlin, who drop to second from bottom and whose caretaker coach Andreas Thom is expected to leave his post during the winter break. Eintracht Frankfurt replaced Cologne at the bottom by losing 3-2 at home to Hamburg SV after missing a penalty with a minute left.
Alaves Knock Troubled
Sociedad Out of King’s Cup
Second division Alaves caused the first major upset of the second round of the King’s Cup on Tuesday, coming from behind to beat Real Sociedad 2-1 at home.
Trailing 1-0 with just eight minutes to go, Alaves scored twice in the space of two minutes to inflict a demoralizing defeat on last season’s Primera Liga runners-up who only a week ago booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Sociedad, who have struggled in the league this season, fielded a largely second-string side against their Basque neighbors, although the gamble appeared to have paid off when midfielder Mikel Alonso put them ahead after 17 minutes.
But Alaves fought back in the second half and finally got their reward when Ruben Navarro cracked in from close range after a corner.
Fellow striker Kiko drilled in from the edge of the area in the very next attack and they even had time to spurn a third when Navarro missed a penalty three minutes from time. Atletico Madrid left it even later to claim a narrow 1-0 win over rugged third division opponents Cultural Leonesa, who had upset Albacete in the first round.
Leading striker Fernando Torres poked in at the far post just two minutes from the final whistle to score his 10th goal of the season and save the first division side’s blushes.
Primera Liga basement side Espanyol continued their miserable run of form when they crashed to a 3-1 defeat away to Celta Vigo. Celta midfielder Jesuli scored the goal of the night to put his side 2-1 up in the second half, bursting between two defenders and inside another to fire an unstoppable right-foot shot into the roof of the net.
