Calvin Bassey sees red as Fulham hold Arsenal to a 2-2 draw at the Emirates

João Palhinha spared Calvin Bassey’s blushes as Fulham secured a draw away from home at the Emirates Stadium.

New Fulham signing, Calvin Bassey, was sent off for two bookable offences in the London derby at the Emirates stadium, Soccernet.ng reports.

Bassey, who joined the London side after an uneventful move to Ajax, saw his first London derby marred by a red card, however, his team held to secure a point away from the Craven Cottage.

Andreas Pereira opened the scoring for the away side, just after fifty-seven seconds, after a Bukayo Saka played a back pass that fell kindly for his opponent, and Pereira, who had spotted Aaron Ramsdale was off his goal line, played the ball into the gaping goal to give the Cottagers the lead.

Fulham’s Tete lunged in on Arsenal’s Fabio Vieira with a reckless challenge in the box, and the referee had an easy decision to make and pointed to the spot. Bukayo Saka wasted no time in sending former Arsenal goalkeeper, Bernd Leno the wrong way to score the equaliser.

Arsenal took the lead through half-time substitute, Eddie Nketiah, who latched onto a beautifully curled low cross from Fabio Vieira. Fulham would, however, not give in, or give up.

Calvin Bassey had gotten an initial yellow in the early moments of the second half for time-wasting, but his second yellow card came in the eighty-fourth minute of the ninety, when Nketiah was through on goal, and Bassey with no aim to play the ball, blocked Nketiah’s path to goal in Arsenal’s half, clattering into the man who scored Arsenal’s equalizer and having been on a yellow, he was given his marching orders.

 

With three minutes left to go, Arsenal, trying to play the game safe with the numerical advantage, conceded a corner kick.

Harrison Reed crossed the ball into the box, and João Palhinha simply tapped in from close range to equalize for ten-man Fulham, after Arsenal defended the set-piece dreadfully.

After three games, Arsenal now have seven points out of a possible nine, meanwhile, Fulham have accrued just four.