Arsenal 2-1 Wolves
by Layth Yousif
at Ashburton Grove 

George Orwell might have once said sport is war minus the shooting, but a humble football match in North London brought joy to many, on a day of fatalities and devastation in Ukraine. 

While sport is meaningless when faced with life and death, it can bring welcome distraction. Certainly, on a dreadful day such as this. 

The sporting facts are that Arsenal beat Wolves 2-1 in the Premier League on Thursday evening. 

A last-gasp own goal from visitor’s keeper Jose Sa prompted jubilant scenes at Ashburton Grove.

The late triumph sparked an outpouring of joy, as players and supporters in the 59,888 crowd celebrated in joyous communion on an otherwise dark day.

Sa's error in tipping Alex Lacazette's effort into his own net completed a dramatic late turnaround, as the Gunners maintained their pursuit of a top-four place with a hard-fought Premier League victory over Bruno Lage's side.

A late equaliser from substitute Pepe hauled Mikel Arteta’s side back into the game after Hwang Hee-Chan’s first half goal put the visitors ahead, following a poor backpass from Gunners defender Gabriel.

The triumph saw Arsenal move into fifth spot with two games in hand on fourth place Manchester United.

While events in the Ukraine dominated prior to kick-off, the match, and its exciting climax, gave succour to so many, whose thoughts were distracted from the deadly events happening to the east of the continent.

No wonder a thoughtful Arteta answered after the match when asked whether the current situation in Ukraine made it hard to focus on football.

“That was difficult. I spoke to the players about that before the game. Life changes in a moment and you don’t expect anything. It can affect you, it can affect your family and it can affect anyone in this world.

“We are extremely lucky to do what we do, but we don’t know when, so we have to go out there and play like tomorrow we maybe don’t have it.

“That uncertainty has to give us an understanding of how lucky we are to do what we do.”

Indeed, they are.

Watford at Vicarage Road a week on Sunday awaits the resurgent Gunners.

However, who knows where the world will be by then, as arsenals of a far more serious kind continue to bring fear and uncertainty. 

Even if errible events in Ukraine were put to one side for a few joyous moments on Thursday evening.