Gallas snatches victory for Gunners
William Gallas' goal sees the Gunners recover from blowing a two-goal lead to draw with Aston Villa on Boxing Day
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Sunday, 28, Dec 2008 09:07
William Gallas scored nine minutes from time to give Arsenal a 1-0 win over Portsmouth at the Emirates Stadium.
The defender headed in to move the Gunners level on points with fourth-placed Aston Villa and pile the pressure on Pompey boss Tony Adams.
After a dire opening, the game sprang into life in the 20th minute when Peter Crouch hit the post with a header from Niko Kranjcar's pinpoint cross.
Minutes later, the hosts should have drawn first blood when Emmanuel Adebayor rounded keeper David James but was denied by a last-ditch challenge from ex-Gunner Sol Campbell.
Arsenal failed to improve in the second period with Adebayor creating their best chance with a volley that smashed into the side-netting after David James failed to punch clear.
Arsene Wenger brought on youngsters Aaron Ramsey and Carlos Vela in search of a spark and got his reward on 81 minutes when Gallas headed in Samir Nasri's cross after James was again in no-man's land.
James kept his side in the game with a fine save to beat away Nasri's sverving effort. But Pompey, who left Jermain Defoe on the bench, offered little as an attacking force and suffer their fourth straight league defeat.