London: Danny Welbeck scored a stoppage-time equalizer as injury-hit Arsenal fought back to draw 2-2 against Hull in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Gunners, with a makeshift defense and missing the injured Mesut Ozil, took an early lead through Alexis Sanchez at the Emirates Stadium. Mid-table Hull hit back with an equalizer from Mohamed Diame, as Arsenal claimed a foul in the build-up, and then took the lead right after the start of the second half through Abel Hernandez.
Arsenal, which lost Jack Wilshere to what could prove to be another ankle problem, looked to have been frustrated before Welbeck scored in the first of six minutes of added time.
The hosts almost snatched it at the death against the team it beat 3-2 in the FA Cup final last season but Kieran Gibbs was denied by stand-in Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic.
Arsenal is provisionally sixth with 11 points from eight matches, including five draws. With all its injuries, Arsenal had little option but to move Nacho Monreal into an emergency center-half and give Hector Bellerin his league debut at right back.
It was, though, a bright start by the Gunners. Welbeck collected a ball up to the edge of the Hull penalty area and held off James Chester before rifling in an angled drive, which Steve Harper beat away and then was quick to block the follow-up from Sanchez.
Even better was to come from the Hull goalkeeper, though, as Harper acrobatically tipped over a curling 20-yard effort from Santi Cazorla at full stretch with one hand.
However, he could do little to prevent Arsenal sweeping into the lead on 13 minutes. The Chile forward collected the ball on the right, and darted into the Hull penalty area before cutting back inside to drill a low shot across the goalkeeper into the far corner.
After Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's shot was blocked by Curtis Davies as the Arsenal players appealed for handball, Hull went level on 17 minutes. Diame picked the ball up some 25 yards out and barged past Monreal. Mathieu Flamini then looked to have been pulled back by the midfielder, but referee Roger East allowed play to continue, with Diame clipping the ball over Wojciech Szczesny.
Hull dropped plenty of men behind the ball and proved difficult to break down in the final third. There was a delay just before the interval when Harper needed treatment after collecting a pass and looked to have injured his shoulder or neck. Veteran Swiss keeper Jakupovic came on.
Hull snatched the lead right at the start of the second half. Tom Huddlestone got clear on the right and floated a ball into the area, where Hernandez easily got in front of Per Mertesacker to power a header past Szczesny.
Once again Hull sat back, inviting Arsenal pressure, but the hosts continued to lack any spark in the final third. With 26 minutes left, Hernandez was replaced by Gaston Ramirez, while Arsenal sent on Aaron Ramsey, out for several weeks with a hamstring injury.
Wilshere then hobbled off after looking to have jarred his ankle in a tackle with Ramirez, which earned him a yellow card. Costa Rica forward Joel Campbell came on.
Hull defender Michael Dawson went down in a heap at an Arsenal corner, but was able to continue only to then be forced off after blocking a goal-bound effort from Sanchez, who then saw a looping header tipped over by Jakupovic.
Just after the fourth official showed six minutes of added time, Sanchez skipped to the edge of the Hull area before slipping in Welbeck, who guided the ball into the far corner to equalize.
Arsenal sought a dramatic winner, with Jakupovic spilling a low shot from Cazorla, but Hull held out.
