Watch: Giroud heads home late equalizer for Arsenal in draw vs. Manchester United
Just when it appeared that Manchester United was going to walk away with three points–and Jose Mourinho another triumph over nemesis Arsene Wenger–Olivier Giroud came crashing into the box with a heroic moment.
Giroud's leaping header in the 89th minute salvaged a 1-1 draw for Arsenal at Old Trafford Saturday, as he matched Juan Mata's earlier goal and ensured that both teams walked away with a point.
Mata had snapped the deadlock in the 68th minute of the clash of Premier League powers. The sequence was sparked by Paul Pogba, who played Ander Herrera down toward the byline. Herrera's cut-back cross made its way to Mata in the center of the box, and the Spaniard placed a low, first-time effort into the net to put the Red Devils ahead.
The match was devoid of scoring opportunities prior to that, though United was denied on a pair of occasions in the first half–once by Petr Cech and once by the referee. Cech tipped Anthony Martial's goal-bound attempt over the bar, and Antonio Valencia had a penalty shout go unheard after a challenge by Nacho Monreal, much to Mourinho's dismay.
Arsenal got its equalizer through Giroud, who had come off the bench in the 73rd minute. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, another substitute, beat Marcus Rashford to create space for the cross, and Giroud crashed into the area with a powerful, pinpoint header to get Arsenal on the board in the dying moments.
Neither side could find a winner after that, and the result puts Arsenal provisionally in third place with 25 points, while United remains in sixth with 19.
