Champions League: Partizan Belgrade v Arsenal full time report
Partizan 1 Arsenal 3
Arsenal overcame a 10 man Partizan Belgrade on an entertaining night of three penalties in Serbia.
After a slow start from the visitors, Andrey Arshavin linked up well with Jack Wilshere before firing in the Gunners’ opener just a quarter of an hour in, but forward Cléo levelled matters from the spot after Denilson had needlessly handled a cross.
Home defender Marko Jovanović was sent off after making the slightest of contact with Marouane Chamakh early in the second half, but after Arshavin had missed the resulting penalty, Chamakh was on hand to head home a Tomáš Rosický cross at the second attempt with 20 minutes remaining.
Sebastien Squillaci headed his first Arsenal goal to put victory beyond doubt, but there was still time for Gunners ‘keeper Lukasz Fabianski to save another Cléo penalty.
This victory will be a welcome one for Arsène Wenger, particularly in the aftermath of his side’s shock Premier League defeat to West Brom on Saturday.
Arsenal sparkled in a 6-0 drubbing of Braga in their opening group match, but they were threatened with the prospect of being plunged into darkness in Belgrade when one of the floodlights at the Partizan Stadium cut out four times before kick off. The match went ahead as planned though and the lively Cléo – a Brazilian forward who last week earned Serbian citizenship – was causing the Gunners more problems than the lighting early on. Arsenal were soon to show a spark though.
A quarter of an hour had been played before the visitors got any real look at the Partizan goal, but they made it count, as Arshavin’s burst forward resulted in a pass into the feet of Wilshere in the penalty area, before the youngster cleverly controlled and flicked the ball back into the path of the Russian, who slammed home from close range.
It was hugely against the run of play, but the goal settled the Gunners, and more good interplay between Wilshere and Arshavin resulted in Vladimir Stojkovic saving well from the latter, before he then kept out Rosický. Arshavin should have done better when clean through, but his dinked effort over Stojkovic never had enough power on it, and Jovanović cleared well.
Arsenal were well in control, but they were soon to hand away the initiative in the softest of manners.
Radosav Petrovic’s cross from the Partizan left struck a stationary Denilson on the arm, and after taking his time to make a decision, veteran referee Wolfgang Stark pointed to the spot. Cléo was in no mood to turn down such a gift, and the hosts had scored out of nowhere – just as their visitors did 20 minutes earlier.
Rosický tested Stojkovic shortly after the break as Arsenal started the second period back on top, and they were shortly to be given a helping hand in their quest for victory.
Arshavin released Chamakh, and despite the Moroccan getting ahead of defender Jovanović and running clean through on goal, he chose not to shoot but instead throw himself to the ground just inside the penalty area after the slightest of contact. Jovanović was sent off, but Arshavin missed the chance to put the Gunners ahead, as his low, powerful strike was too close to former Wigan Athletic ‘keeper Stojkovic, who saved to his right and celebrated jubilantly.
The save had lifted Partizan despite their reduced numbers, and they were soon flying into challenges with renewed vigour – one of which even appeared to reduce the young Wilshere to tears – but the Arsenal threat was still there, and Arshavin’s deflected effort was well saved by Stojkovic. The breakthrough was coming though.
Rosický’s cross from the right found Chamakh, and after the forward’s header was tipped onto the post by Stojkovic, the ball rebounded straight back to him and left him with the easiest of tasks to nod home.
The Gunners were now seeking to close out the game, and with Partizan tiring, they soon did.
Substitute Samir Nasri swung in a corner, and fellow Frenchman Squillaci was on hand to thump home a header from close range.
There was still time for another hairy moment for the Gunners though, but after Kieran Gibbs had felled Sasa Ilic just inside the penalty area, under-fire goalkeeper Fabianski – a figure of fun for many Arsenal supporters – did well to plunge low to his right and keep out Cléo’s effort from 12 yards.
That as much as anything confirmed that it would be Arsenal’s night, and the Gunners look firmly in control of Group H.
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