Bellerin rescues point for Arsenal in EPL derby against Chelsea

Arsenal's Hector Bellerin after equalizing against London rivals Chelsea. (Action Images via Reuters)

LONDON: Hector Bellerin’s fantastic strike earned Arsenal a deserved point against London rivals Chelsea in an exciting game at the Emirates on Wednesday.
The Spaniard made amends for conceding a controversial penalty, in which Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard  appeared to go down too easily, with a controlled shot to level the score.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger called the decision to award Chelsea a penalty farcical, “at some stage in football you have to stand up to the referee’s decisions,” Wenger said.
“Maybe I would have gone home and committed suicide,” he joked. “I was so close to that.”
The pace set in the first-half was electric as both teams sought to gain the advantage.
Alvaro Morata should have put Chelsea ahead when he was clear through on goal but shot harmlessly wide. At the other end, Alexis Sanchez managed to hit both posts with one shot after a fine save from Thibaut Courtois, who also did fantastically well to deny Alexandre Lacazette as the sides went into half-time level.
Belgian goalkeeper Courtois was called into action once more early in the second half — producing a stunning save from Lacazette again.
The deadlock was finally broken midway through the second interval when Jack Wilshere powered home with an unstoppable shot to give the home side the lead.
Almost immediately, however, Chelsea were back level after Eden Hazard was fouled by Bellerin in the box and the midfielder dusted himself down to take the spot-kick and cooly slot past Petr Cech in the Arsenal goal.
And with six minutes left, the Blues turned the game on its head when Marcos Alonso got in front of Shkodran Mustafi and steered the ball into the net to put Antonio Conte’s side ahead.
The Bellerin equalizer makes no difference to either team’s league position as Chelsea remain in third, a point behind Manchester United and 16 points behind leaders Manchester City. Meanwhile, Arsenal remain sixth and some five points off Liverpool in the final Champions League spot.