UEFA Champions League Half Time Report: Arsenal vs Braga, Arsenal thump six past Braga
The English club Arsenal was appearing audacious to thwart Braga in the Champions League in the qualification stage this season. They had traveled away to the home of Braga for the encounter and though they did not have their best men lined up for the battle
they were sure of domination.
Nonetheless the fact remained that the Gunners were facing problems and one of their worst was injuries as they had nearly half of their first line up soothing themselves from the benches.
Players who were injured but had luckily evaded the long term probation were Theo Walcott, Robin Van Persie, Abou Diaby and Thomas Vermaelen. These four players joined Nickolas Bendtner and Aaron Ramsey on the side lines at tonight’s fixture.
Despite the mounted injuries almost every expert believed that Arsenal would end the night on top. This was due to the fact that the team was currently performing better than their opponents and had far more experience in the competition. Arsenal were also
on the back of an impressive win over Bolton this past weekend and were going into the game with their confidence on a high.
The match kicked off in predictable fashion with Arsenal dominating the play from the very first minute with their instinctively bred lustrous passing. Over the year their manager Arsene Wenger had certainly developed the game play of North Londoners in
to something that could truly be marveled upon.
Arsenal took the early lead in the first half thanks to a tackle on Marouane Chamkah, the referee awarded the home team a penalty. The resulting kick was guided home by world class midfielder Cecs Fabregas.
The next goal Arsenal scored was something of a beauty, Chamakh and Jack Wilshere exchanged some brilliant one two's, before the Moroccan international guided the ball into the back of the net.
The third goal was scored by the Russian Assassin Andrei Arshavin. Fabregas lay off a brilliant ball to the Russian who shot low and hard and saw the ball bounce off the back of the net.
The first half ended with Arsenal going into the tunnel fueled by high performance.
The second half picked up exactly from where the first half ended. Arsenal men were just everywhere. Eight minutes after the restart Arsenal had their fourth. This time around it was Arshavin who teed up Fabregas. He bought some time for the midfielder to
make a run then dinked in a beautiful pass which the Spanish player buried into the back of the net.
The fifth goal of the game was scored by Carlos Vela, who had just been brought on to replace Chamakh. It was Arshavin doing all the hard work once again, before slipping in a beautifully timed ball for Vela, who finished the ball with a delicate chip over
the keeper.
The last and finally goal of the game came in the eighty fourth minute. Fabregas received a long ball and instead of shooting at the goal himself, he laid off the ball to Vela who rifled the ball into the back of the net and made it six nil to Arsenal on
the night.
The match eventually ended with Arsenal not scoring any more goals. Braga on the other hand were just glad that the match got over before Arsenal broke the all time goals scored record on the night. Arsenal also went on to prove that the team finally has
the much needed depth that they have lacked for so many years and this could prove to be the difference maker, in lifting some silverware at the end of the season.
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