Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By RYAN TOLMICH
With the game tied at one in front of an increasingly frustrated crowd at the Emirates, Aaron Ramsey conjured some stoppage-time magic.
The Arsenal midfielder finished from close range in the waning moments Saturday, leading the way in a 2-1 Arsenal victory over Crystal Palace. Ramsey’s winner was preceded by a Laurent Koscielny header in first-half stoppage time, which canceled out Crystal Palace’s 35th-minute opener from Brede Hangeland.
Unlike the Gunners, Manchester United failed to register a victory in their opening game, dropping new manager Louis van Gaal’s debut against Swansea by a 2-1 scoreline. Despite a spectacular bicycle finish from Wayne Rooney, Man United conceded goals to midfielders Ki Sung-Yeung and Gylfi Sigurdsson, whose 72nd minute finish proved to be the gamewinner.
In Saturday’s other action in England and around Europe:
Arsenal rivals Tottenham Hotspur kept pace with their London neighbors, benefitting form a late finish of their own from new signing Eric Dier to pick up a 1-0 victory over West Ham. Meanwhile, fellow top four hopefuls Everton settled for a draw with newly-promoted Leicester City, with an 86th goal from Foxes substitute Chris Wood forcing the Toffees to settle for a point.
Here are the results from the opening Saturday of English Premier League action:
Manchester United 1, Swansea 2
Leicester City 2, Everton 2
Queens Park Rangers 0, Hull City 1
Stoke City 0, Aston Villa 1
West Bromwich Albion 2, Sunderland 2
West Ham 0, Tottenham 1
Arsenal 2, Crystal Palace 1
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LIGUE 1
Paris Saint-Germain rolled to a 2-0 victory over Bastia, but the result took a back seat to other events.
Bastia forward Brandao head-butted PSG midfielder Thiago Motta, breaking his nose in a tunnel altercation caught on video.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic suffered a rib injury early in the match, and could be set to miss extended time for PSG.
Lucas Moura and Edinson Cavani scored the goals for PSG.
Meanwhile, Rennes thumped Evian 6-2, while Toulouse picked up a 2-1 victory over Olympique Lyon.
Here are scores from Ligue 1’s Saturday action:
Paris St. Germain 2, Bastia 0
Lens 0, Guingamp 1
Lorient 0, Nice 0
Metz 1, Nantes 1
Rennes 6, Evian TG 2
Toulouse 2, Lyon 1
EREDIVISIE
PSV Eindhoven cruised to a 6-1 drubbing of NAC Breda, with Dutch World Cup star Memphis Depay scoring two goals for the Dutch power house.
PEC Zwolle overcame a red card to post a 2-1 victory on the road against Dordrecht, while ADO Den Haag earned a 2-2 at FC Twente. Vitesse and Cambuur played to a 2-2 tie.
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What did you think of Saturday’s action? See Manchester United struggling this year? Buying Arsenal as a serious title contender?
Share your thoughts below
That was even more Suarez than Suarez.
I love this site and i want to be a part of it.
Hard to believe Brandao. I mean even apart from the violence aspect, what is he thinking? His plan is to stake out a spot and head butt an opposing player after a game and then run away to the locker room? What is this guy, 9 years old?
Bob Bradley needs to replace van Gaal and save Man Utd