Aubameyang scores, sent off as Arsenal draws 1-1 at Palace

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored an early goal and was later given a straight red card following a review by the video assistant referee as his team held on for a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.

Jordan Ayew had already equalized for Palace when Aubameyang made a late challenge on Max Meyer, catching the midfielder’s left ankle with studs showing.

The referee initially brandished a yellow card but, after a lengthy check by VAR, it was upgraded to a red card in the 67th minute. As Aubameyang left the field, the tackle was shown on the big screen inside Selhurst Park and there were audible gasps from spectators.

If it was the type of challenge seldom seen by Aubameyang, his finish was familiar in its quality. It was a brilliant team move, with David Luiz’s ball forward from center back finding Mesut Ozil, who laid it off first time to Alexandre Lacazette. The striker slid a pass into the path of Aubameyang, who was cutting in from the left, and he slotted the ball past Vicente Guaita for his 14th league goal of the season.

Palace was outplayed in the first half but came back into the match after halftime, and Ayew equalized in the 54th when his left-foot shot from the right of the goal deflected off the outstretched boot of Luiz and ricocheted into the net past despairing goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

In an exciting last 10 minutes, Palace defender James Tomkins had a header cleared off the line by Arsenal defender Sokratis, before Arsenal winger Pepe saw his angled shot crash off the post and go to the feet of Lacazette, whose close-range blast was saved by Guaita.

Ninth-place Palace, who introduced loan signing Cenk Tosun as a second-half substitute following his move from Everton on Friday, stayed a point ahead of Arsenal.

In four league games under recently hired manager Mikel Arteta, Arsenal has won one, drawn two and lost one.