Arsenal given slim advantage by Bould
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal 3
Sampdoria 2
Tales of the unexpected at Highbury last night. Steve Bould scored twice, Ian Wright was substituted, and Arsenal and an Italian side were involved in a thrilling end-to-end match.
This Cup-Winners' Cup semi-final was as unlike the customary European first-leg as could be imagined. It was finally settled in Arsenal's favour, but only just. Sampdoria will be as pleased with the two precious away goals as they would have been with a goalless draw. Sven Goran Eriksson, their manager, admitted afterwards that he was "very satisfied".
Arsenal must now travel to Genoa's spectacular Luigi Ferraris stadium in a fortnight's time knowing they need at least a draw - or a very high- scoring one-goal defeat - to go through.
The holders twice built a two-goal lead, Ian Wright scoring his eighth goal of the campaign after Bould had struck twice in two minutes. But, each time, Roberto Mancini opened up an unusually shaky defence for Vladimir Jugovic to cut the deficit.
"One-nil would have better but I am delighted we have won," Stewart Houston, the Arsenal manager, said. "They have to beat us and they have to score."
Sampdoria had approached the match boldly from the start, emerging from the dressing- room carrying a giant Union Jack, then lining up with three at the back and three up front.
For a long time they controlled possession, their neat passing and impeccable technique leaving a subdued Arsenal chasing shadows. Twice Seaman had to be alert, denying Jugovic as he ran onto Mancini's chip and then Attilio Lombardo after Jugovic's incisive pass.
Then, after 29 minutes, a Paul Merson corner was flicked on by Bould and Tony Adams rose above Walter Zenga to head in at the far post. It looked a valid goal but Juup Uilenberg, the Dutch referee, ruled that Zenga had been fouled.
Arsenal's subsequent anger was just what they needed to inject some passion into their game. Ray Parlour and Lee Dixon had shots, with the latter forcing an excellent save and a corner. That led to a throw-in, the ball came to David Hillier 20 yards out and he shot fiercely through a crowd of players. Zenga did well to parry the ball but Bould shot the rebound in.
Two minutes later Bould flicked on a Stefan Schwarz corner and Zenga - who is notoriously weak at crosses - could only help it into the net. It was the first time the 32-year-old had ever scored two goals in a game in his long career. He had not scored at all for a year.
Sampdoria were reeling but, six minutes after the interval, Arsenal let them back into the match. A series of quick passes ended with Mancini, who lifted the ball over the back line. Tony Adams, on the turn, mis-hit his clearance and merely diverted the ball past Seaman for Jugovic to score.
Arsenal wobbled but they were lifted by Paul Merson, who first went past several defenders and flashed a shot just wide and then played a marvellous 35-yard pass into the path of Wright. As Zenga rushed from his goal Wright gently chipped it over him. The goal, his 12th in total in Europe, established a club record taking him past John Radford.
But, once again, Sampdoria came back. This time it was Italian inspiration, not English clumsiness, Jugovic scoring after Mancini had wrong-footed the Arsenal defence with a brilliantly conceived and executed back-heel.
Further goals were threatened. Mancini could have had a penalty when he was bundled over and Schwarz nearly scored from a free-kick. Yet with five minutes to go and the game still in the balance, Houston brought off Merson and Wright.
Houston said he wanted fresh legs to help consolidate but Wright was clearly unhappy. Like the team, it meant he ended the night with mixed feelings, something to celebrate, but much to ponder.
Arsenal (4-4-2): Seaman; Dixon, Bould, Adams, Winterburn; Parlour, Hillier, Schwarz, Merson (Morrow, 85); Wright (Kiwomya, 85), Hartson.
Sampdoria (3-4-3): Zenga; Sacchetti, Rossi, Mannini; Invernizzi (Maspero, 73), Evani, Jugovic, Serena; Lombardo, Mancini, Salsano.
Referee: J Uilenberg (Netherlands).
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