Arsenal celebrate their qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League from first place! In front of their own fans, they inflicted a debacle on Lens

Arsenal defeated Lens 6-0 in front of their home fans and secured qualification for the spring part of the Champions League. The Gunners went for the win right from the opening whistle and scored five of their own goals in the first half. They avenged their opponents’ defeat in the previous encounter, when they lost 1: 2.

Arsenal began to crush Lens from the start

The home cannoneers had a plan to win in order to secure qualification for the spring knockout stage in advance, and they went on the attack from the very beginning. As early as the 11th minute, Kai Havertz could have scored to follow up his winning goal from the weekend’s Premier League round against Brentford.

However, the German’s header just missed the right post. However, he was happy with the goal the next moment when, after some good play from his teammates, he received the ball in the box and beat the goalkeeper with an easy run. The Gunners took the lead in the 13th minute.

Within 10 minutes Arsenal tripled their lead. First, Bukayo Saka fought for a loose ball and managed to poke it out to a free Gabriel Jesus, who stuck and then headed accurately to the left post. On the following attack, Gabriel Martinelli shot and the goalkeeper only parried his attempt to Saka, who had no problem finishing the ball into the uncovered net.

Within half an hour, the fans in red jerseys cheered with joy once more. Martinelli struck again from the edge of the box and this time he was successful, his shot was accurate. At 4:0, the home team slowed down, but they had enough of a lead.

However, at the end of the half, Saka led a quick counter-attack, passing sideways to Takehiro Tomiyasu, who centred and found Martin Odegaard. The London captain hit the bottom right corner from a volley and ended the first half with his fifth goal for the French side.

In the second half, Gunners easily took the lead

Arsenal had built up a lead during the first half that was more than enough and they were going nowhere in the second half. Coach Mikel Arteta, who was coaching his 200th game as Gunners manager at the weekend, was able to deploy players who don’t get much space in the league.

Reiss Nelson and Jakub Kiwior were brought into the game. On the other hand, the Lens coach also resorted to a few tactical substitutions, but he couldn’t do anything about the result. On the other hand, in the 67th minute, the French side could have scored again

Havertz raced down the left side and found Odegaard on the edge of the box. The Norwegian international’s first-time shot had some punch, but one of the defenders made a sacrifice and blocked it.

At the end of the game, Arsenal supporters got another goal. After a handball from one of Racing Club’s players, the referee, after reviewing the video, ordered a penalty, which was taken by Jorginho. He expertly waited to see where the goalkeeper would jump and then fired a shot towards the far post.

The Gunners thus beat Lens 6-0 and with one round to go are clear first place in Group B. The French side will play their last game at home to Sevilla, a team they must not lose to in order to retain at least third place, which would allow them to qualify for the Europa League in the spring.

Source: Champions League