Gabriel Martinelli scores the first hat-trick of his senior career as an Arsenal side showing 10 changes come from a goal down to beat Championship side Portsmouth 4-1 in the FA Cup third round.
MATCH REPORT: Portsmouth 1-4 Arsenal
Claudio Braga watched the replay, clasped his hands over his mouth in disbelief, then stood in the dugout with them on his head.
The Hearts forward’s strike from the edge of the box was a superb bit of quality – and was ultimately what gave the Scottish Premiership leaders victory at Dundee – but his moment had just been usurped by the man who replaced him.
Craig Gordon, 43 years young, having not played a minute of competitive football since Scotland’s World Cup qualification heroics over Denmark, had just produced the save of the season. Perhaps any season.
Not only did he somehow scoop Emile Acquah’s net-bound header away, he also preserved all three points for Hearts to keep them clear at the top of the table.
Pundits and punters alike cut a similar shape to Braga on the bench. Disbelief abound. Just how had Gordon done that? Even the man himself wasn’t sure.
“Sometimes you surprise yourself as a goalkeeper,” Gordon told BBC Scotland. “That was definitely one that I thought was a goal, but decided to go after it anyway and somehow managed to claw it out.
“That really does feel as if it was one of my best.”
Not half. There was talk of Gordon Banks v Brazil, David Seaman v Sheffield United and… well, Craig Gordon v Bolton Wanderers.
Former team-mate Steven Pressley was in the opposite dugout, and couldn’t help but enthuse about the Hearts goalkeeper.
“I spoke to Craig at length before the game,” the Dundee head coach said. “He’s been starved of opportunity and you wonder if it’s going to affect his performance… wow, it seems to have improved it.
“He made a couple of big saves today. That’s the reason they’re top of the league, they have a second-choice goalkeeper who’s world class.”
Former Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson was on punditry duty, and could barely believe his eyes: “That’s save of the season. Every player is running to Craig Gordon. That is one of the best saves I have ever seen.
“That dressing room will be electric. Against any other goalkeeper in the league, that is a goal and Dundee get a draw.”
In the frenzy of the post-save aftermath, it became clear that it was more than just a superb piece of goalkeeping or moment of individual brilliance.
It showed why Hearts’ unbelievable title charge continues to hold water.
“Craig has always been capable of that big save, that big moment,” head coach Derek McInnes said. “When he was called upon, he stood up. “I thought it was past him. Magnificent moment for him.
“For Craig, to be 43 years of age, throwing himself about a training ground… obviously, there’s a lot of motivation this season in terms of the World Cup, and trying to be part of something special here.
“It’s first class, and good on him. I’m pleased for him. It’s a wee reminder everyone that he’s still got a role to play and when we needed him, he was there.
How many times has Gordon been written off in his career?
In 2012 – 14 years ago, lest we forget – he was released by Sunderland after injuries plagued an already-sterling career. Had he given up then, just short of his 30th birthday, it would have been understandable.
Yet after being without a club for three years – spending his days as a part-time goalkeeping coach at Dumbarton – he came back to win everything that could be won with Celtic domestically and return to the Scotland set-up.
In 2020, he returned to first club Hearts, became captain, and won the Scottish football writers’ player of the year award for his performances in 2021-22.
Then injury struck again. A horror leg break a week shy of his 40th birthday left him celebrating Christmas Day in a Dundee hospital. Surely enough to pack it all in?
Nope, not for Gordon.
After recovering, he spent half a season as understudy to Zander Clark at Tynecastle and seemed set for a place on the plane to Germany and Euro 2024.
Steve Clarke didn’t see it that way. Perhaps thinking of the future, and the fact Gordon had hardly played in 18 months, the Scotland head coach afforded him a Hampden friendly farewell against Finland instead before the squad departed.
Surely, this time, that was it?
But what about at Hearts?
Gordon’s summer was ruined by injury, again. It kept him out of the final throes of last season, and meant he only played a minute of his testimonial against Sunderland in July.
When Clark’s form dipped, Gordon was not ready to return and Alexander Schwolow was signed. He has been solid, not giving Gordon a look in. Until now.
The German goalkeeper’s mistake against Dundee – bringing down Tony Yogane on the edge of the box after the winger beat the offside trap – allowed Gordon his first minutes on the pitch since that magical night at Hampden.
Immediately, he was forced into a save. Cameron Congreve lined up a free-kick and curled it low, but Gordon was down quickly to beat the ball away.
The second-half was mostly a watching brief. Balls were shelled into the box and headed away by the Hearts defence. It wouldn’t be until the final kick – or header – of the ball, that Gordon got his moment.
Acquah’s header looked laser-guided into the net. Gordon was going the other way.
Gez: Craig Gordon won an award for the best ever save in the EPL when at Sunderland after defying physics to stop the ball already behind him. I think we’ve just seen the exact same thing for the SPFL Premiership. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. And still don’t.
Tony: Craig Gordon, absolute legend, had one potentially career-ending injury and didn’t play for ages before ripping it up at Celtic and then another potentially career-ending injury before coming back and helping Scotland qualify for the World Cup. He made the best save in Premier League history and now one of the best saves in Scottish Premiership history. And he’s 43 and hopefully starting at the World Cup.
Robert: Steve Clarke has the goalie sorted. I’ve watched that guy since he broke into the first team at Tynecastle and he can still get me out of my seat. He’s a phenomenon, one of the greatest ever.
Alfie: Sometimes you’ve just got to put your hands up and say fair play. Sensational. Never mind being on the plane, he should be starting in the summer.
Tony: Wow, sub goalkeeper on at half-time makes literally one of the best saves of all time to win a crucial match in the 93rd minute. Not a bad storyline.
Claudio Braga watched the replay, clasped his hands over his mouth in disbelief, then stood in the dugout with them on his head.
The Hearts forward’s strike from the edge of the box was a superb bit of quality – and was ultimately what gave the Scottish Premiership leaders victory at Dundee – but his moment had just been usurped by the man who replaced him.
Craig Gordon, 43 years young, having not played a minute of competitive football since Scotland’s World Cup qualification heroics over Denmark, had just produced the save of the season. Perhaps any season.
Not only did he somehow scoop Emile Acquah’s net-bound header away, he also preserved all three points for Hearts to keep them clear at the top of the table.
Pundits and punters alike cut a similar shape to Braga on the bench. Disbelief abound. Just how had Gordon done that? Even the man himself wasn’t sure.
“Sometimes you surprise yourself as a goalkeeper,” Gordon told BBC Scotland. “That was definitely one that I thought was a goal, but decided to go after it anyway and somehow managed to claw it out.
“That really does feel as if it was one of my best.”
Not half. There was talk of Gordon Banks v Brazil, David Seaman v Sheffield United and… well, Craig Gordon v Bolton Wanderers.
Former team-mate Steven Pressley was in the opposite dugout, and couldn’t help but enthuse about the Hearts goalkeeper.
“I spoke to Craig at length before the game,” the Dundee head coach said. “He’s been starved of opportunity and you wonder if it’s going to affect his performance… wow, it seems to have improved it.
“He made a couple of big saves today. That’s the reason they’re top of the league, they have a second-choice goalkeeper who’s world class.”
Former Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson was on punditry duty, and could barely believe his eyes: “That’s save of the season. Every player is running to Craig Gordon. That is one of the best saves I have ever seen.
“That dressing room will be electric. Against any other goalkeeper in the league, that is a goal and Dundee get a draw.”
In the frenzy of the post-save aftermath, it became clear that it was more than just a superb piece of goalkeeping or moment of individual brilliance.
It showed why Hearts’ unbelievable title charge continues to hold water.
“Craig has always been capable of that big save, that big moment,” head coach Derek McInnes said. “When he was called upon, he stood up. “I thought it was past him. Magnificent moment for him.
“For Craig, to be 43 years of age, throwing himself about a training ground… obviously, there’s a lot of motivation this season in terms of the World Cup, and trying to be part of something special here.
“It’s first class, and good on him. I’m pleased for him. It’s a wee reminder everyone that he’s still got a role to play and when we needed him, he was there.
How many times has Gordon been written off in his career?
In 2012 – 14 years ago, lest we forget – he was released by Sunderland after injuries plagued an already-sterling career. Had he given up then, just short of his 30th birthday, it would have been understandable.
Yet after being without a club for three years – spending his days as a part-time goalkeeping coach at Dumbarton – he came back to win everything that could be won with Celtic domestically and return to the Scotland set-up.
In 2020, he returned to first club Hearts, became captain, and won the Scottish football writers’ player of the year award for his performances in 2021-22.
Then injury struck again. A horror leg break a week shy of his 40th birthday left him celebrating Christmas Day in a Dundee hospital. Surely enough to pack it all in?
Nope, not for Gordon.
After recovering, he spent half a season as understudy to Zander Clark at Tynecastle and seemed set for a place on the plane to Germany and Euro 2024.
Steve Clarke didn’t see it that way. Perhaps thinking of the future, and the fact Gordon had hardly played in 18 months, the Scotland head coach afforded him a Hampden friendly farewell against Finland instead before the squad departed.
Surely, this time, that was it?
But what about at Hearts?
Gordon’s summer was ruined by injury, again. It kept him out of the final throes of last season, and meant he only played a minute of his testimonial against Sunderland in July.
When Clark’s form dipped, Gordon was not ready to return and Alexander Schwolow was signed. He has been solid, not giving Gordon a look in. Until now.
The German goalkeeper’s mistake against Dundee – bringing down Tony Yogane on the edge of the box after the winger beat the offside trap – allowed Gordon his first minutes on the pitch since that magical night at Hampden.
Immediately, he was forced into a save. Cameron Congreve lined up a free-kick and curled it low, but Gordon was down quickly to beat the ball away.
The second-half was mostly a watching brief. Balls were shelled into the box and headed away by the Hearts defence. It wouldn’t be until the final kick – or header – of the ball, that Gordon got his moment.
Acquah’s header looked laser-guided into the net. Gordon was going the other way.
Gez: Craig Gordon won an award for the best ever save in the EPL when at Sunderland after defying physics to stop the ball already behind him. I think we’ve just seen the exact same thing for the SPFL Premiership. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. And still don’t.
Tony: Craig Gordon, absolute legend, had one potentially career-ending injury and didn’t play for ages before ripping it up at Celtic and then another potentially career-ending injury before coming back and helping Scotland qualify for the World Cup. He made the best save in Premier League history and now one of the best saves in Scottish Premiership history. And he’s 43 and hopefully starting at the World Cup.
Robert: Steve Clarke has the goalie sorted. I’ve watched that guy since he broke into the first team at Tynecastle and he can still get me out of my seat. He’s a phenomenon, one of the greatest ever.
Alfie: Sometimes you’ve just got to put your hands up and say fair play. Sensational. Never mind being on the plane, he should be starting in the summer.
Tony: Wow, sub goalkeeper on at half-time makes literally one of the best saves of all time to win a crucial match in the 93rd minute. Not a bad storyline.
From being branded an “idiot” to scoring a hat-trick, Gabriel Martinell’s name has been in the headlines over the past few days.
The Arsenal winger was heavily criticised for trying to push the injured Conor Bradley off the pitch in the closing stages of Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Thursday, something he apologised for on social media.
But the 24-year-old’s first hat-trick for Arsenal – as they came from behind to beat Championship outfit Portsmouth and reach the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday – showed “personality”, according to his boss.
“It’s part of football and then it’s how you take it,” Mikel Arteta when asked how Martinelli has dealt with being the subject of so much discussion.
“But he knew inside the reason why he did what he did.”
Arteta also praised Liverpool boss Arne Slot for his considered response to the incident, when he defended the Brazilian.
“I think Arne Slot spoke brilliantly after the game – speaking of your opponent in the manner that he explained the situation and the fact that Gabi had no intention whatsoever to damage any player,” added Arteta.
“That’s personality. Come in and talk on the pitch, which is the best part of it.”
Martinelli has had a mixed season, losing his starting place in the Premier League to Leandro Trossard after a drop in form and confidence.
He has started just six times for the Gunners, who are six points clear at the top of the table.
However, the winger has been a key player this season for Arsenal in Champions League, scoring five goals in as many appearances. And after his hat-trick against Portsmouth, he is now his side’s top scorer.
“That’s why to play for a big club, you need a big personality because it can be bad… it can be an action that you miss, it can be something that costs you a game,” Arteta added
“And three days later, there is a game. So you need to lift yourself up and make it count.
“I love it. Gabi, in every context that you throw him in, he plays, he doesn’t play. He performs well, not well. Today, he scored three goals.
Martinelli’s hat-trick was the first scored by an Arsenal player in the FA Cup since Theo Walcott did so against Southampton in January 2017.
It was also his first in 249 games for the Gunners and the first time that he has scored more than two goals in a game for a year.
Arteta was not surprised that Martinelli, who is not known for his aerial ability, was able to score twice with his head from corners as “his timing in the box is really good”.
Arsenal are well-known for their threat from set-pieces since the appointment of coach Nicolas Jover. They have scored 17 goals from corners in all competitions this season; the most by any Premier League team.
But even by the Gunners’ impressive standards, scoring three in a game is a rare occurrence – this was the first time they had done so since May 2022 against Everton.
The game against Portsmouth was the first of four away games in four different competitions for Arsenal – with tests in the Carabao Cup, Premier League and Champions League to come.
They are hoping to end their wait for a trophy – with their last coming when Arteta led them to the 2020 FA Cup, where they beat Portsmouth on the way to lifting the cup.
Eder Maestre has challenged London City Lionesses players to match his ambition after his managerial tenure with the Women’s Super League club began with a drab goalless draw against Liverpool.
The 39-year-old Spaniard was appointed on 2 January following the sacking of Jocelyn Precheur last month.
Precheur was dismissed on 21 December with London City sitting in sixth place with five wins from their first 11 matches in their debut WSL campaign, but results were not the major factor behind his departure.
Owner Michele Kang wanted a coach capable of implementing a unique style of football – one that aligns with the club’s vision of playing in European competition by 2027.
But Maestre’s first game in charge ended in a dull stalemate with neither London City nor opponents Liverpool managing a shot on target.
Maestre said he “cannot recognise” the “team I want to see every week” during the game as he urged his side to get on board with his vision.
“I have very ambitious ideas in my brain so I hope I can bring this energy to create a new mindset, a new way to understand football – energy, attacking, pressing second balls,” Maestre said.
London City attempted two shots in the game at the St Helens Stadium – their lowest total in a single match in the WSL this season.
They have now failed to score in their last three WSL games, a run of 350 minutes without a goal.
“The feeling is not good, obviously. Of course we want to win, we came here to win,” Maestre added.
“The first thing we need to build is the mentality of winning every day. This is a little disappointing to not get the result that we wanted.
Champions Cup
Bordeaux (24) 50
Tries: Rayasi 3, Page-Relo, Woki 3, Jalibert Cons: Page-Relo 5
Northampton (7) 28
Prem leaders Northampton were handed a European lesson by Champions Cup holders Bordeaux in a repeat of last year’s final.
Saints lost 28-20 in May’s tight and ill-tempered Cardiff showpiece but were blown away this time by a brilliant eight-try performance from the hosts in an electric atmosphere.
Star Saints back row Henry Pollock was booed throughout by a passionate home support after his part in a final-whistle scuffle in Cardiff.
The flamboyant flanker had his moments, scoring twice, but it was Bordeaux who surged on to ruthlessly exploit a gulf in class.
The French side were quicker, stronger and far more creative as they put on a clinical display, with Fiji full-back Salesi Rayasi and forward Cameron Woki both scoring hat-tricks.
Saints lost influential fly-half Fin Smith before kick-off but the England man would surely have made little difference against a Bordeaux side who have now won 24 of their past 27 home games.
Rayasi touched down the opener before Pollock’s inevitable moment of theatre. The England forward found himself on the left wing, kicked it ahead and gathered to run in and score before shushing the booing from the stands.
Saints then struggled at the scrum, with prop Danilo Fischetti being sin-binned, and they fell behind when a man down as Rayasi swapped passes with Damian Penaud to score.
Northampton went down to 13 men when flying winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey was taken out late by Rory Hutchinson and were still a man short when scrum-half Martin Page-Relo sniped through a gap in the stretched defence to score a sparkling third.
Penaud put Woki in to score a bonus point before the break and Rayasi completed a world-class hat-trick early in the second half with a ridiculous run from his own half, weaving and leaving Saints defenders in his wake.
Woki intercepted a pass to run in and score a second, before Tommy Freeman cut the lead with a fine finish after some concerted pressure.
Bordeaux again scored with ease though, Woki pocketing the loose ball from the restart to run in for his third before fly-half Matthieu Jalibert sprinted clear to bring up the 50 points on the hour mark.
Saints kept going, as Pollock scored a second fine try from a kick from Hutchinson in the closing stages and Fischetti stretched out to secure a potentially vital bonus point.
Bordeaux: Rayasi; Penaud, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Page-Relo; Poirot, Lamothe (capt), Sadie, Coleman, Cazeaux, Du Preez, Woki, Matiu.
Replacements: Barlot, Perchaud, Tameifuna, Palu, Vergnes-Taillefer, Retiere, Carbery, Janse van Rensburg.
Sin-bin: Retiere (74)
Northampton: Hendy; Sleightholme, Freeman, Hutchinson, Todaro; Smith, Mitchell; Fischetti, Wright, Davison, Coles, Van der Mescht, Chick (capt), Pearson, Pollock.
Replacements: Smith, Iyogun, Millar-Mills, Prowse, Munga, Graham, McParland, Ramm.