25th November, 2015
Arsenal’s Champions League hopes are still alive after they eased to victory against Dinamo Zagreb at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners needed to win and hope that Bayern Munich beat Olympiakos to ensure that a victory by two goals – or by a margin of one if they score three goals – in Greece in their final group game would send them into the knockout phase.
Bayern fulfilled their part of the bargain and Arsenal had no trouble with a Dinamo side who beat them in the earlier fixture in Croatia.
Man of the match Mesut Ozil headed them in front after 29 minutes and Alexis Sanchez added a second four minutes later before the Chile forward rounded off a fine second half move to give Arsenal the convincing win their superiority deserved.
Ozil pulls the strings
Midfielder Ozil has had his critics since making the £42.4m move to Arsenal from Real Madrid in September 2013 – but he has arguably been the Gunners’ most influential player this season.
The elegant Germany international has become the goal-maker supreme, setting a Premier League record with an assist in his seventh successive game when Olivier Giroud put Arsenal ahead at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
And he was pulling all the strings here as Arsenal kept their Champions League campaign on track, not only by displaying a wonderful range of perfectly-measured passing, but by breaking the deadlock and easing nerves inside the stadium with his diving header.
Ozil’s languid style sees him painted as something of an enigma, but when he moves so silkily, dictating the tempo in this fashion, he looks a player of the highest quality.
Sanchez the energiser
If Ozil is the man who provides the brushstrokes on Arsenal’s canvas when they are playing well, then Sanchez is the energiser, a perpetual motion combination of intensity and talent that can prove irresistible.
Arsenal did not only get a world-class forward when they paid Barcelona £32m after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, they acquired a character who can set the tone for a performance with his work ethic and desire.
He proved it here, not just with two goals but with his relentless determination to win the ball back when possession was lost, a prime example being in the first half when he chased back 40 yards down
Arsenal’s left-flank to make three tackles before eventually securing the ball.
The perfect team man.
The Stats
Arsenal have won successive home Champions League matches at Emirates Stadium for the first time since 2012.
Dinamo Zagreb have not won any of their last 12 away games in the competition, failing to find the net in nine of those matches.
Alexis Sanchez was involved in three goals in the same Champions League game for the first time.
Sanchez has been directly involved in seven of Arsenal’s nine Champions League goals this season.
Mesut Ozil has been involved in 11 goals in his last nine appearances in all competitions.
Ozil scored only his second ever headed goal.
The Gunners have scored at least twice in seven successive Champions League group stage matches at home.