Related links

Teams

• Arsenal
• Bolton Wanderers

Players

• Fredrik Ljungberg
• Abdoulaye Meite
• More PlayersEmmanuel AdebayorTal Ben Haim

Freddie Ljungberg marked his return to action with an extra time strike to see Arsenal through to the last 16 of the FA Cup following an enthralling 3-1 win over Bolton.

The Swedish international had not played since December due to injury, but came off the bench at The Reebok Stadium to give The Gunners a victory that they should have wrapped up well before the 108th minute, and only clinched in the 123rd minute when Emmanuel Adebayor netted.

There was certainly no love lost between the two rival managers before this Valentine's Day showdown, but it was Arsene Wenger who left The Reebok Stadium full of heart after breaking Sam Allardyce's recent hold over his team in the most dramatic of circumstances.

The Trotters had only lost once in the last eight meetings between the two sides - leading to the inevitable tag of being Arsenal's bogey team - but Adebayor's first goal - a deflected first-half finish - had seemingly put that label to rest.

However, after Gilberto had fired a penalty well over and Adebayor had missed an open goal, Bolton struck through Abdoulaye Meite in the dying seconds to send the tie into extra time.

Bolton's wonderfully resilient display ultimately came to nothing though, as Ljungberg made his late intervention in an enthralling cup encounter, and The Trotters' pain continued when Tal Ben Haim was dismissed for a second yellow card in a frantic period of extra time.

Incredibly The Gunners still had time to miss a further penalty through Julio Baptista, and score again through Adebayor, before the most eventful of games came to a chaotic conclusion.

Following a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Emirates Stadium, both teams looked positive in the opening exchanges and Kevin Nolan and Tomas Rosicky both threatened with drives from outside the box.

When Arsenal took the lead on 13 minutes though it was thanks to a large slice of fortune, but Lady Luck deservedly smiled on The Gunners after some superb build-up play involving Denilson and the returning Alexander Hleb.

Rosicky then looked to slip the ball left to Adebayor before Ivan Campo stuck out a leg, but the Togolese striker was on hand to pick up the loose ball and slam a heavily-deflected shot past Jussi Jaaskelainen via the unfortunate Stelios Giannakopoulos.

Arsenal were utilising their trademark style despite making a number of changes - including resting captain Thierry Henry - and after a superb one-two between Rosicky and Adebayor down the left flank, Baptista made a mess of the Czech international's cross when well placed at the far post.

Wenger's men were beginning to gain a firm grip on the contest, outmuscling and outplaying their opponents, and almost took a two-goal lead thanks to another deflection. Baptista's vicious free-kick flicked off Campo in the wall but Jaaskelainen managed to palm the ball over the bar.

However it was Bolton who should have added to the scoring before the break. Andranik Teymourian saw a goal-bound effort unfortunately blocked by Giannakopoulos, and the Greek international then shifted the ball out of his feet and rocketed a shot against the crossbar before Meite saw his follow-up effort blocked by Gilberto.

After being under the cosh for much of the first half, Bolton emerged strongly and, after a deep free-kick from Ben Haim, saw Manuel Almunia scrambling to his left to prevent Abou Diaby's header sneaking into his own net.

The Spanish shot stopper was at it again three minutes later when he got down well to smother at the feet of Giannakopoulos, but after breaking through on goal the Bolton star should have squared to the waiting Ben Haim who would only have had to roll the ball home.

Arsenal weathered the early storm and Baptista again called Jaaskelainen into action from another free-kick after Hleb was crudely fouled by Ben Haim.

Diaby should also have done a lot better after being played in by the overlapping Gael Clichy, but Bolton began to exert more pressure and Nicolas Anelka - against his former team - and Campo both fired shots narrowly off-target.

On 64 minutes, The Gunners were gift-wrapped the chance to put the tie beyond doubt when Ben Haim caught Baptista in the box after some fine footwork from the Brazilian. However, stand-in captain Gilberto failed to do the honours from 12 yards as he sent his penalty high over Jaaskelainen's crossbar.

Bolton threw on Ricardo Vaz Te for Giannakopoulos as they searched for an equaliser, whilst Arsenal saw Hleb suffer a recurrence of his hamstring injury and brought on Ljungberg for his first appearance since December.

The Trotters grew increasingly desperate as the game entered the final ten minutes, and Campo had no complaints when being booked for diving after he attempted to win a penalty off Rosicky.

As Bolton upped the pressure, Arsenal amazingly passed up the chance to settle the game when Adebayor missed the easiest of open goals. The striker had robbed Campo of possession and rounded Jaaskelainen, but only managed to hit the post as he snatched at his shot.

The Gunners paid dearly for Adebayor's aberration, when, deep into injury time, Meite side-footed home from Campo's header down to send the tie into extra time.

The shell-shocked Londoners almost suffered a knockout blow six minutes into injury time when El Hadji Diouf's cross was diverted onto the post by a fine touch from Gilberto.

The Senegalese forward again proved a threat from the right when his set-piece was headed at goal by Gary Speed, but Almunia managed to hold onto the ball as Bolton began to dominate.

A muddled cross-cum-shot from Baptista was symptomatic of the way Arsenal had lost their fluency, but in the second half of injury time all that changed.

Substitute Jeremie Aliadiere embarked on a surging run and played in Ljungberg. The Swedish star still had a lot to do but after taking a touch, produced a fine finish across Jaaskelainen to put The Gunners back in control.

With time running out, Anelka missed the chance to plunge a dagger into the heart of his former team when he volleyed inches over from inside the box, and Bolton's hopes suffered another blow when Ben Haim accrued his second yellow card for a foul on Baptista.

Even Jaaskelainen charged forward as Bolton searched for a dramatic equaliser, and, with the keeper stranded upfield, Arsenal broke quickly and Anelka gave away a penalty by fouling Adebayor as he prepared to roll the ball home.

Incredibly Baptista emulated his colleague Gilberto by blasting his spot kick high over the bar, but it mattered little as Adebayor set the seal on an incredible encounter by stroking home in the dying seconds.