Charlton stun wasteful Arsenal

Mark Fish slides in to tackle Thierry Henry

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Arsenal 2-4 Charlton

Charlton capitalised on Arsenal's weak defending and poor finishing to triumph at Highbury.

The Gunners dominated the game for long periods and had 27 shots on goal.

But, as has so often been their failing, they did not put away their chances and were punished.

Thierry Henry fired Arsenal ahead in only the sixth minute, but Charlton were 4-1 up by the 53rd minute.

  Goal rundown

6 mins: Henry puts Arsenal ahead.

35 mins: Steve Brown equalises for Charlton.

43 mins: Arsenal keeper Richard Wright puts into his own net.

49 mins: Claus Jensen scores with a brilliant lob.

53 mins: Jason Euell slots home.

60 mins: Henry scores a penalty.

Steve Brown equalised before Arsenal keeper Richard Wright bizarrely punched into his own net.

And within minutes of the restart, Claus Jensen and Jason Euell had given Charlton a three-goal cushion.

Although Henry pulled one back, the visitors held on stubbornly for a famous victory.

Arsenal utterly dominated the first 45 minutes. Their passing and movement was sensational and Charlton were left bewildered.

It's disappointing, because we should have scored a huge number of goals

Arsene Wenger
Arsenal manager

Patrick Vieira had already had a shot cleared off the line by Steve Brown by the time Henry put the Gunners ahead in the sixth minute.

The superb Robert Pires broke through the middle and slotted a pass to Henry, who shot left-footed past Kiely.

Arsenal should have added several more goals in a first-half in which they had 13 shots on target.

But they often took too many touches and were wasteful in front of goal.

Bergkamp, Henry, Pires, Ashley Cole and even Martin Keown all squandered great opportunities and Charlton punished their generous hosts.

I was sitting there thinking, 'is this going to be a cricket score?'

Alan Curbishley
Charlton manager

First Brown got in front of Gilles Grimandi at a free-kick to send a glancing header past Wright in the Arsenal goal.

Then Wright came off his line to punch a Konchesky free-kick away from the head of Euell and succeeded only in sending the ball into his own net.

The Arsenal faithful could not believe what they had seen. Their amazement continued in the second-half.

Jonatan Johansson disposessed Vieira on the edge of the area and fed Jensen. The Danish midfielder advanced before curling a delightful chip over the head of Wright.

Thierry Henry scored both Arsenal's goals

Within minutes, Jensen played a long ball to Euell, who shot low past the advancing Wright from the edge of the box.

Arsenal piled forward and were awarded a controversial penalty after an hour.

Fish was adjudged to have brought Henry down in the box, even though he appeared to get the ball, and the Frenchman coolly slotted the spot-kick home.

Charlton held on well for the last half hour, defending astutely and keeping possession well.

Pires and Henry had great chances late on, but the visitors held on.

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Arsenal: Wright, Cole, Keown, Grimandi, Lauren, Pires, van Bronckhorst, Vieira, Ljungberg, Bergkamp, Henry. Subs: Wiltord, Taylor, Parlour, Luzhny, Kanu.

Charlton: Kiely, Powell, Konchesky, Brown, Fish, Young, Kinsella, Jensen, Parker, Euell, Johansson. Subs: Robinson, Roberts, Peacock, Fortune, Bartlett.

Referee: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).