ARSENAL thrashed Lens to sail into the Champions League Last 16 as group winners.
The rampant Gunners scored FIVE goals inside the first half as they avenged their only loss in Europe’s elite competition this season.
Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and Jorginho all notched as Arsenal ran in six different goalscorers in the rout.
- Result: Arsenal 6 Lens 0
- Arsenal XI: Raya; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
- Lens XI: Samba; Gradit, Danso, Medina; Frankowski, Mendy, Samed, Haidara; Sotoca, Fulgini, Wahi
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‘Beautiful’
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaking to TNT Sports: “Today was the day to get it done. We did it in a beautiful way.
“We scored five goals (in the first half) against a really good side. You can become really sloppy. And there were parts of the second half with different behaviours but we stayed really focused.”
Asked about winning the group, Arteta added: “It’s great because the schedule we have at the moment is crazy. We’re already thinking about Wolves in 72 hours.
“We have to demand more from each other. We’ll have to be well prepared for Wolves.”
Credit: getty ‘Everyone is really happy’
Bukayo Saka speaking to TNT Sports: “Everyone is really happy. It’s our first time back in the Champions League for a while and we’ve qualified with a game to go.
“When we first looked at our group we wanted to finish top. We’ve done that so can be proud.
“The boss is already reminding us to just enjoy a little bit and then focus on Wolves on Saturday.”
Credit: getty
Who’s through?
So, 12 teams have booked their places in the Round of 16. They are…
- Real Madrid
- Atletico Madrid
- Real Sociedad
- Barcelona
- Manchester City
- Arsenal
- PSV
- Inter Milan
- Lazio
- RB Leipzig
- Borussia Dortmund
- Bayern Munich
Could be some amazing knockout ties here. There’s obviously still one more round of fixtures remaining, but that Champions League round of 16 draw takes place on Monday 18 December.
We were amazing
You’re not wrong, Gabriel.
Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has been speaking with TNT Sports, and actually learned that Arsenal had qualified as winners.
He said: “We were amazing. Everyone was focused. We controlled the game. They tried to come in the second half. At the end everyone played amazing. The team performance was top. We have to keep going.
“Playing at home, we know our support is amazing. They push us. We want to win the game and qualify. Congratulations to the whole team.
“We didn’t concede a goal. We kept a clean sheet and then we scored in the last minutes.
“I watch the Champions League a lot at home. I love football. The Champions League is special, like the Premier League. I already won the Premier League, I want to win here, but I want to win the Champions League as well.”
Credit: getty Final scores
A few surprise results in here tonight.
FC Copenhagen getting a point at Bayern Munich means Manchester United have to beat the Bundesliga champions at Old Trafford and hope the other match in Group A is drawn to remain in the competition.
- Arsenal 6-0 Lens
- Bayern Munich 0-0 Copenhagen
- Benfica 3-3 Inter Milan
- Braga 1-1 Union Berlin
- Real Madrid 4-2 Napoli
- Real Sociedad 0-0 Salzburg
The standings
Take a look and enjoy that, Arsenal fans.
The Gunners will finish top of Group B as the seeded side whatever happens in their trip to PSV Eindhoven. The Dutch outfit can also celebrate, they advance at the expense of Lens and Sevilla.
That goal difference didn’t half take a boost tonight.
ARSENAL 6-0 LENS
FT: Ruthless from Arsenal. Mikel Arteta got his statement win as the Gunners cruise into the knockout stages of the Champions League with a 6-0 win over Lens.
We’ve got all the reaction coming up folks.
Credit: getty ARSENAL 6-0 LENS
91: How about that? Now that’s the attitude that wins titles.
Arsenal defender Gabriel throws his body in the way of a late Wahi snapshot to save the clean sheet for his side. He drops to his knees and celebrates like he’s scored a goal.
ARSENAL 6-0 LENS
90: Three minutes of injury time here.
ARSENAL 6-0 LENS
88: “6-0 to the Arsenal,” sing the supporters. They’ve been exceptional tonight.
ARSENAL 6-0 LENS – JORGINHO (PEN)
85: GOAL! Martin Odegaard handed the ball over to Jorginho and the Italian international sends the goalkeeper the wrong way with a typically cool penalty.
Probably the least pressurised penalty he’ll ever take.
Credit: getty ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
84: Penalty to Arsenal! The referee wandered over to the screen and decided to give the spot-kick. Martin Odegaard is ready to take it…
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
83: Eddie Nketiah replaces Gabriel Jesus for the final few minutes. No Arsenal player has fired off more shots on goal in the league this season than Eddie.
Penalty check! Khusanov, who made his European debut tonight and got booked after 25 seconds, has caught Martinelli in the face with a flailing arm. It also looks like he’s managed to handle the ball in the same motion.
He’s had a night to forget.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
80: Arsenal continue to play the ball around inside the Lens half. Clearly conserving energy for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Wolves.
Chance! Ben White finds Gabriel Martinelli down the right channel. He drives into the penalty area but his cross/shot is blocked for a corner.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
78: Arsenal applying a bit of pressure as we enter the final stages. No clear-cut chances to speak of, but you sense there might be a sixth here for the Gunners. Ben White reaches the byline but his floated cross is plucked out of the air by Lens goalkeeper Samba.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
75: OK, 15 minutes left to play here. Odegaard wins a corner after seeing his effort blocked. Rice strolls over to take it and it sails straight through a crowd of players and soon arrives at the feet of David Raya. Turning attack into defence in the blink of an eye there.
Declan Rice heads off with Jorginho replacing him.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
71: It looks in range. Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard stands over a free-kick around 30-yards from goal. Might be closer to 35 yards actually.
He bends the delivery in but it’s headed clear and Gabriel Martinelli ushers it out for a corner, which White eventually slices high and wide.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
68: Chance! An actual chance!
Kai Havertz sends the crowd wild with a bit of trickery in the corner to bamboozle his marker. He tip-toes across the byline before cutting it back for Odegaard, whose skidding effort is saved by Samba.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
65: Khusanov replaces Gradit to make his European debut… and he’s booked within about 25 seconds for an innocuous foul. Haidara follows him into the book seconds later with a really cynical foul on Odegaard.
Bukayo Saka finally comes off. He’s replaced by Nelson.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
63: Video highlights for this second half will be tricky for editors later. Actually I guess they’ll be easier with nothing to show.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
60: An hour remaining, and this one is wrapped up.
The 3,000 Lens fans are doing something. They are… swaying in opposite directions from the row in front of them. Not sure I’ve seen that before. Nicely choreographed.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
58: Gabriel Jesus applies a bit of pressure on the Lens defence but gives the foul away.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
55: Mendy slides the ball through for the onrushing Wahi. His cross is safely gathered by Raya but the whistle went for offside anyway. That’s about as exciting as it’s been since the break, folks.
ARSENAL 5-0 LENS
53: Surprised to see Bukayo Saka on the pitch still. He took a couple of whacks in the first half.
Lens have started well enough. Arsenal aren’t really putting any pressure on their visitors, who are keeping the ball nicely. No chances for either side.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
