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Arsenal cruise into knockout stage
Arsenal have cruised into the knockout stage of the Champions League with an effortless 5-1 win over shambolic Norwegian champions Rosenborg Trondheim to win Group E at Highbury.
First-half goals from Jose Antonio Reyes, Thierry Henry, Francesc Fabregas and Robert Pires with a penalty put the champions into the last 16 as group winners on Tuesday. Robin van Persie added the fifth six minutes from time just eight minutes after coming on for Ashley Cole. Arsenal, without suspended skipper Patrick Vieira and defender Lauren who were sent off against PSV Eindhoven in the London club's last Champions League match, went into the game with their destiny in their own hands. But they could not afford any slip-up as a defeat to Rosenborg coupled with a win by Panathinaikos in the other group game over already-qualified PSV would have seen Arsenal eliminated. In the event Panathinaikos beat PSV 4-1 to leave Arsenal as group winners with 10 points, the same number as PSV. Arsenal topped the group with a better head-to-head record against the Dutch side. Panathinaikos finished with nine points and a place in the UEFA Cup while Rosenborg finished with two points and were eliminated from European competition. NERVES CALMED Arsenal's nerves were calmed as early as the third minute when Reyes gave them the perfect start as the Rosenborg defence parted to allow him through to score, giving goalkeeper Espen Johnsen no chance. Henry made it 2-0 in the 24th minute lobbing the keeper after being put clear by Mathieu Flamini before 17-year-old Fabregas became the second youngster scorer in Champions League history with a brilliantly executed individual goal after 29 minutes. The Spaniard controlled the ball on his chest and with his left-foot sent defender Erik Hoftun the wrong way before scoring. Rosenborg, who were already consigned to last place, pulled one back through Hoftun after 38 minutes when Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia, preferred to the out-of-favour Jens Lehmann, failed to deal with a cross. But when Henry was tripped by the goalkeeper and Pires converted the spot kick Arsenal could relax again. Although Rosenborg played slightly better after the break they were only saved from a bigger mauling because of some wasteful Arsenal attacking. Henry, Fabregas, Reyes and Pires all had clear-cut chances to score more goals and Van Persie wasted a good chance when he blasted wide before finding the target a few minutes later. |
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