Seven minutes of pure magic!
Arsenal exploded with three goals in seven minutes to crush Lille 3-0 at Emirates, making it two wins from two in Champions League league phase and leaving Les Dogues winless and wounded.
Gunners Wasteful In First Half, Lille Park Bus
It was frustrating first half. Lille packed defence, stayed organised and made life tough. Arsenal broke lines but flopped in final third. Noni Madueke’s crosses sailed, Timber and Lewis-Skelly picked wrong passes, Mikel Merino headed straight at keeper, Bruno Guimaraes fired wide.
Lille barely attacked, only one offside goal, no shot on target all night. It felt like Napoli game again – dominant but wasteful.
Timber Sparks Heaven, Saka Finishes Party
Then second half, Lille ran out of gas and Arsenal turned on style.
In 62nd minute, Jurrien Timber produced stunner, not expected from full-back! He received from Madueke in box, turned, faked power shot to near post and delicately lifted over keeper to far post for 1-0. Emirates erupted!
Arteta then unleashed big guns – Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz for Madueke, Merino and anonymous Gyokeres. Imagine tired Lille legs seeing that!
ALSO READ: Arsenal break the bank as Guimaraes joins for £75m
Arsenal doubled lead instantly. Saka found Eberechi Eze at top of box, first-time shot wrong-footed keeper for 2-0. Eze fired five shots, impressive despite less touches, survived nasty boot to ankle that only saw yellow, could have been red.
Minutes later, fantastic team goal, Saka applying finishing touch for 3-0. Game over.
Lewis-Skelly Shines, Bayern Next
Myles Lewis-Skelly impressed at left-back with recovery run showing extra pace. Bruno Guimaraes bossed midfield, bit Rice, bit Odegaard.
Arteta hailed demolition but confirmed Hincapie out for weeks.
Next, trip to Munich to face Michael Olise-less Bayern, Frenchman sent off with two quick yellows in 3-3 draw.
Arsenal flying – seven minutes was truly heaven!
