Arsenal have dealt a blow through the injury of one of their key players. Defender Piero Hincapie was not present in Arsenal’s squad for FA Cup quarter final. He had suffered a muscle injury during the international break.
What has happened in the FA Cup quarter final?
The most possible dramatic thing that could occur in that match has happened. Against all the odds, EFL championship side Southampton has defeated Arsenal and knocked them out of the FA Cup. The Gunners were one of the favourites to win this competition and now they are out. Now, Manchester City and Chelsea are the only teams who can go on to win the cup.
Piero Hincapie was sidelined for this match due to his injury. Myles Lewis-Skelly started in the left back position with Gabriel Maghelhas, Cristian Mosquera and Ben White covering the rest of the defence. Arsenal enjoyed the maximum possession but were unable to create big chances. In the 35th minute, Southampton broke the deadlock.
The players got past through the Arsenal defence and Ross Stewart scored the first goal of the match. In the second half, Viktor Gyokeres scored the equaliser through his sharp presence in the box. In the 85th minute, the Saints’ Shea Charles scored the winner after coming of the bench just 10 minutes ago.
Now Arsenal are out of the FA Cup. They were also defeated by Man City in the Carabao Cup final and as a result their dreams of quadruple and treble are broken. The only competitions in which they are alive now are Premier League and Champions League. They are currently first in the league table, 7 points ahead of Man City. In UCL, they will face Sporting in the quarter finals.
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What is the current state of Piero Hincapie’s injury?
Reports allready disclosed that Piero Hincapie will be unavailable for Arsenal’s FA Cup quarter final fixture at St. Mary’s Stadium.
In the March international break, the Ecuadorian defender had to go to Spain for national duty. Ecuador had a friendly against Morocco on 27th March. At the end of the match, Hincapie informed of having a hamstring issue. As a result he was picked up from the pitch. Consequently, he missed the friendly game against Netherlands too.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was unable to tell in the press conference a fixed timeframe of the defender’s possible return from the muscle injury. The 24-year-old’s absence could pose a huge threat in their journey to win the league and UCL. This coming week is very important for the Gunners.
On Tuesday, they will visit Portugal for UCL quarter final against Sporting CP. Bournemouth will visit Arsenal at Emirates in their next fixture of Premier League. The London club is already out of the FA Cup and failed to win the Carabao Cup.
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Arsenal have been provided with some injury boost
Before the FA Cup match, Arteta informed that there has been some optimism regarding the medical updates of some players. He said that Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber could be available for the fixture. However, Jurrien Timber couldn’t make the squad, but Odegaard started the game.
As soon as Timber starts his football training, Ben White will lose that right back position. Arsenal needs the Dutch as White’s performance against Southampton was below average.
Noni Madueke’s name was also in the injury list. He had suffered a knee injury, which didn’t look good at that time. But Arteta addressed the situation on a positive note. He said that this injury is not that much worrying and he did return against the Saints. Eberechi Eze and Mikel Merino will be sidelined for a long term.
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Subhabrata Pal
Subhabrata Pal is a junior football writer who has contributed articles covering key developments in football. His work focuses on match events, player performances, and the narratives that shape discussions among fans and the wider football community. Through his contributions to Football Express, Subhabrata produced football coverage aimed at keeping readers informed about important moments, tactical trends, and evolving storylines. His writing blends clear reporting with analytical insights to deliver engaging and informative content for football enthusiasts.
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