Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Lehmann plays for Gunners' second string

Veteran goalkeeper Jens Lehmann returned to action for Arsenal for the first time in almost three years with a run-out for the reserves on Tuesday in their 2-1 defeat at Wigan.The former Germany international came out of retirement to help ease the Gunners' goalkeeping crisis after injuries to Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski left Manuel Almunia as the only fit senior keeper.Lehmann's last appearance for the Gunners came against Everton on May 4, 2008 ahead of a move to Stuttgart. But in front of goalkeeping coach Gerry Peyton, he was beaten in the 18th minute when Jordan Robinson got on the end of a free-kick by Daniel Redmond, only to be ruled offside.Arsenal's young side were reduced to 10 men when skipper Ignasi Miguel was sent off before Jordan Rugg's shot got the better of Lehmann but came back off the post. Lehmann was left red-faced a minute before half-time when he miscued a kick from a back-pass, but the ball trickled past the post.He came off second best in the 52nd minute, though, when Callum McManaman put the home side ahead, showing a cool head to outsmart his more experienced opponent. Lehmann got his bearings wrong on the hour and Jonathan Breeze smashed in a shot past the goalkeeper only to see it blocked.Joe Holt added a second in the 83rd minute from close range before Rhys Murphy pulled one back from the penalty spot on the stroke of full-time.

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