- Arsenal dominates Lens
- Unconventional goals surprise
- Arteta praises team effort
A few seconds into added time, the most illuminating moment of this rout, which had been excessively clinical to the point of sterility, occurred. After Arsenal had scarcely missed a beat the entire evening, Elye Wahi of Lens had a respectable opportunity near the corner of their six-yard box to gnaw even the tiniest gap in their lead. That was until Gabriel Magalhães, whose evening had been exceedingly tranquil until that point, thwarted the opportunity with a persistent challenge and jubilated before the home crowd as if he had ascribed seven goals to the team.
Mikel Arteta’s Relish in Success
Although Arsenal could only muster six, Mikel Arteta relished in the moment. It eloquently and heartily conveyed the concentration that has allowed them to breeze through a respectable Group B standings in first place with an extra game remaining. A consolation for the visitors would have appeased the audience, which had been warmed by a late Jorginho penalty and a rampant first-half performance, but Gabriel opposed the idea. When more difficult continental tests appear in the spring, precisely this level of diligence will be required, and Arteta was ecstatic with the tone his players have established.
“Benefits will ensue when the team exhibits that body language and lives each action and game as we do,” he predicted. “The team desires victory and refuses to concede any points; this is the mindset in which we must improve.”
Dismantling Lens and Securing Advancement
Free midweeks and Europa League Thursdays, which were previously relatively gloomy, seem like a distant memory. Despite Lens’s shoddy defense (four goals conceded in the first 27 minutes), Arsenal made it easy to ignore the bleak circumstances here.
Without the extraordinary comeback victory that PSV Eindhoven achieved at Sevilla earlier in the evening, Arsenal’s squad would not have advanced without kicking a ball. Ultimately, they secured their advancement without having to play for long, dismantling Lens as they advanced through the gears.
Lens’s Attempted Triumph and Arsenal’s Response
Lens were not threatened in the opening moments, and there was a moment of optimism that they could replicate the triumph they had achieved in the rematch eight weeks prior. However, that was the extent of their improvement for the evening. Kai Havertz, who had returned to the starting lineup following his exploits off the bench against Brentford, issued a warning when his free header arced just wide in the twelfth minute. Lens, supported by a pulsating corner of red-and-yellow-clad supporters, disregarded the cautionary shot.
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Almost immediately, during a contest for a looping ball, Gabriel Jesus outjumped Kevin Danso, a center-back several inches taller, and gestured for Havertz to bundle past Brice Samba from close range. Jesus seized the opportunity due to Danso’s lack of aggression, even though Havertz had anticipated the situation minutely. It seamlessly integrated with everything that ensued.
After Arsenal’s next formidable assault, Danso and Facundo Medina encountered obstacles, impeding Bukayo Saka’s apparent futile quest to locate Jesus. Jesus eventually seized control of the situation and skillfully crafted an angle before drilling a low finish to Samba’s right. Already assured of a spot among the seeded teams in the round of 16, the points were virtually secure.
Arsenal’s Flourishing Attack and Unconventional Goals
However, Arsenal continued to advance. Havertz, taking advantage of the opportunities Lens provided, seized the ball following a lengthy David Raya clearance and assisted a furious Gabriel Martinelli. Although the resulting effort, delivered from Martinelli’s preferred position cutting in from the left, was potent, Samba should have dealt with it more effectively. Conversely, an unwitting Saka deflected in his parry, allowing him to claim arguably the most peculiar goal of his career.
Saka’s newly acquired ability to score “ugly goals” was praised by Arteta, who was also ecstatic to see Martinelli improve four minutes later with a strike that twisted Przemyslaw Frankowski inside out before flashing an unbeatable cross into Samba. The scoreline took on an ethereal sheen with Martin Ödegaard’s emphatic volley from a cross by the excellent Takehiro Tomiyasu. At the same time, Lens momentarily waned, with Raya saving from Wahi and Medina striking a post.
Arteta remarked, “I never even envisioned such effortless progress.”
“We accomplished it convincingly against an extreme side. Favorable occurrences filled the first thirty minutes.
Everyone could have easily called it a day before the second half, which was virtually featureless except for several substitutions and the away contingent’s commendable efforts to sustain an atmosphere.
Lens had little to chase: if they defeat Sevilla at home and Arteta scrapes a victory at PSV, they can still advance to the elimination stages alongside Arsenal. While acknowledging the value of a stress-free environment, he stated, “We will make every effort to prepare for that game.” By converting a VAR-awarded penalty kick, substitute Jorginho brought Arsenal back into the game’s final moments of suspense with the barest of annihilations.
