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On This Day: Kevin Campbell sends Arsenal through to Euro final

Twenty-one years ago today, a goal from Kevin Campbell sent Arsenal into the final of the Cup Winners' Cup.

Yesterday, this column looked back on two mightily important goals that Kevin Campbell scored early on in his career with Everton.

It was a knack that the striker had honed with his first club Arsenal, where although he was often in the shadow of Ian Wright, he still contributed some vital goals during his seven-year stint with the North Londoners.

One of those was scored 21 years ago today as Arsenal played host to Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of the Cup Winners' Cup semi-final.

Wright had given the Premier League side the lead in Paris, only for future Tottenham Hotspur winger David Ginola to equalise shortly after the restart.

It meant that while the Gunners held the advantage on the away goals rule heading into the return meeting, it was only a slender lead.

However, back at Highbury, Campbell put his side in the tie's driving seat in just the seventh minute.

Lee Dixon crossed from the right and Campbell, who was only included in the starting lineup because of an injury suffered by Paul Merson, was able to glance a header inside Bernard Lama's near post.

Yet from that moment onwards, it was largely one-way traffic as the visiting Parisians played with real gusto and flair.

Ricardo, Laurent Fournier and Valdo all had good chances before the break, but none of that trio was successful in their attempts to breach David Seaman's net.

One of the biggest moments of that half though saw Arsenal frontman Wright cautioned for a late challenge on Alain Roche. It meant that had George Graham's men reached the final, they would be without their suspended fiery striker.

Visibly upset, tears streamed down Wright's face as the realisation sunk in, with reports suggesting that he had to be calmed down by captain Tony Adams during the interval.

The PSG onslaught continued after the restart, although chances were not as easy to come by.

The best of the bunch was presented to Ginola 17 minutes from time following an error by Ian Selley, but with only Seaman to beat, the French Footballer of the Year dragged his shot wide of the target.

He had spurned the away side's final clear cut opportunity, meaning that Campbell's fourth goal in that season's competition had sent Arsenal through to the final, where they would defeat Parma 1-0 courtesy of a powerful Alan Smith strike.

ARSENAL: Seaman; Dixon, Adams, Bould, Winterburn (Keown); Selley, Jensen, Davis (Hillier); Campbell, Smith, Wright

PSG: Lama; Sassus (Llacer), Roche, Ricardo, Colleter; Le Guen, Fournier, Guerin, Valdo, Ginola; Rai (Gravelaine)

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Kevin Campbell of Arsenal 'steaming'' during a Coca Cola Cup match against Sheffield Wednesday at Highbury in London
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Liverpool34228475344174
3Manchester CityMan City32227376324473
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton321111105250244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916


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