Gunners secure top spot in CL group – Arsenal 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
|Arsenal made it into the Champions knock-out stage for the 12th consecutive year following Robin van Persie’s two goals against Borussia Dortmund.
The German giants saw key players Sven Bender and Mario Goetze both taken off with injuries early on in an unusually stale first half.
However, Arsene Wenger’s side made the breakthrough soon after the restart when Robin van Persie headed in Alex Song’s cross after a skilful run and cross from the Cameroonian midfielder.
van Persie bagged his second of the match with five minutes to go when he was on hand to knock the ball in at the far post.
Highly-rated Japanese forward Shinji Kagawa pulled one back for the Bundesliga side, but it was too little too late.
The victory, and Marseille’s defeat to Olympiakos, means Wenger’s side have secured top spot in Group F.
Arsenal XI v Dortmund: Szczesny (GK), Koscielny (83), Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Santos, Song, Ramsey, Arteta, Walcott (86), van Persie (c), Gervinho (74).
Subs: Fabianski (GK), Djourou (83), Frimpong, Arshavin, Diaby (86), Benayoun (74), Chamakh.
Excellent result. Qualified top of the group with one game to go. You can’t really ask for more. League form improving. Probably too far back to win the league. But with RVP in this form, who knows!
Alex Song’s all round game is brilliant, maybe needs to play with an anchorman to all him more creative freedom?
Head and shoulders above the rest.
Great Result. First Place of the Group. First Qualified. Two goals from Rvp. A bit disapointed for no being able to keep a clean sheet. But great Evening of Football Thank you Gooners
Aaron getting better by the day, Song immense. 11 Nationalities in the starting XI today, we should be honored by the United Nations!
Great individual performances by all the squad who says we are a one man team.
fantastic result, we make it look easy man…. man city, u & chelsea what are you saying..Alex Song was sensational parker who?.. do i need to mention RVP. Bring On Fulham
I’m a Villa fan, but I live on Hornsey Road beside the Emirates so I’m following Arsenal also – how could I not. They were excellent tonight, with not one bad performance in any player. We can’t lie to ourselves & admit that Dortmund having to sub two key players did make a difference – but we can’t take anything away from Arsenal. I think Arsenal need to start testing other strikers and not be depending on the “Reliant Robin”. I think if they keep playing this way, the title is there – but only with wins over Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Spurs. But I have one important thing to add – Spurs WILL NOT win the title – so could someone send a telegram to White Hart Lane and just reitterate this.
What a difference TV5 makes! The Szcz, PM4, TV5, LK6 axis will serve us very well for many seasons.
Efficient performance. Didnt give much to opposition and took our limited chances. The late goal left a sour taste in the mouth, especially when our defense was solid throughout.
Arsenal started the first half nervously whilst Dortmund took advantage of this with some sublime passing and the noise from their 7000 fans helped make it sound like Arsenal were playing away from home.
Arsenal started to click in the 2nd half getting Theo into some good postions. Song and Rambo started to dominate the midfield and this started to open Dortmund up. Song (my motm) created the first goal with some amazing trickery, then a 2nd goal for Van Persie sealed it, shame we conceded at the end but Arsenal go onto win the group and qualify with a game to go. We should give Park and Chamberlain a runout in Athens. Rest Persie and Theo.
Song was my motm today.. Absolute monstrous performance(except for their goal) in the middle of the park..
As always with Arsene’s buys, Santos might have been judged too early and very harshly. Fair play to him, was great today.
Kos at right back was excellent until he ran out of puff. Might give Sagna something to think about when he returns.
Arsenal’s defense (with the exception at the end) looked brilliant. Koscielny, Vermaelen, and Mertesacker were great. Szczęsny is becoming a brilliant keeper and honest leader. I think once Gervinho, Arshavin, and Walcott become more ruthless and clinical we will be looking at top 2 in league and a trophy or 2 this season.
That win is for all the critics. Song, Koscielny and Vermaelen were sensational.
excellent result tonight, played like a team tonight. gervino and walcott tracking back and covering when koseilny and santos went forward. commentators on irish tv going on about how arsenal will not be contenders in the latter part of the CL, well neither will man city and their millions in wage bills!!
Van Persie scores, Gervineo misses, and the defence gives away a piss poor goal – I’m loving it cos every time this happens we WIN!!!!!
The win tonight highlights the significance of the continuity developed amongst the squad over the past couple months. Massive boost of confidence in the side having qualified top of group
not bad at all very good win and if you look at future match ups we could get a good draw in the round of 16 no matter who it is…
so proud of the lads, the way the press turned against AW, and just starting thrashing the team at the start of the season and coming back and in this manner.. it’s just amazing … creadits gone Arsene’s way, the way he managed everything, he’s just a Genius ..
RVP = VAN-TASTIC, I hope to god he just doesn’t get injured, but also we have to give creadits to the rest of our players cause they’re a big reason RVP’s scoring, ofcourse it doesn’t hurt to have a world class player with his abilities !!
I just have to say the way Song came back this season is just pure class, he upped his defensive game, and improved his offensive play, he’s one of our team’s spine !!
also Koscielny everyone thought he’s done after we got Merte, but the way he’s playing you have to say we’re lucky to have a guy of his abilities in our team nowdays !!
everyone thought we won’t qualify off of this tough group but guess what England, Arsenal are the only team to qualify, and that insured first spot !!
GOOD DAYS !!
COME ONNNN ARSENAL !!!! one game at a time !!!
Wenger will teach Gervinho how to finish 1-1 very soon, as he is teaching Santos how to defend.
We are the first english team…..through to the round of 16…..m/
Song is Messi playing midfield Santos is Ronaldo playing left back and Van Persie … well he’s is just ridiculously good!
Couldn’t see the entire game but the 2nd half was AFC at their best. Song’s mazy and mesmerizing run through 6 BD players to pop a perfect dross onto RVP’s head was abfab! Song made up for a fabulous game by holding onto the ball too long and blocking Koscielny so the BD player could pass through Mertesacker and score but that’s ok as Olympiacos will now have to face our youth team in Athens, just like in 2008. That year we made it to the CL Final and were one ejection away from winning it all! Let’s hope we get there again and win the CL…playing this way, we certainly can.
Cannot say enough abaout Song. He has grown every year. When he wins the ball it is more then a kick it is generally a possession win. His run today was amazing , but he plays well in tight spaces. Man of the match today! RVP deserves his accolades, but Ramsey is growing and Arteta is really fitting in, great vision…once Gervinho starts to finish, look out…Theo on point, and do not blame Per for the goal, Johann shojuld have picked that up at the sideline…not wanting to cast blame but would like to see Chamakh, Oxlade chamberlan against Olimpakos