Source: SKY_Sports
AZ rout puts Arsenal on brink
// A bit of a hack but it works// The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is emptyif( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) {$("div#article-sub").remove();} Arsenal recorded a comfortable 4-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday to move them within touching distance of the UEFA Champions League knockout stage.[LNB] Cesc Fabregas netted a brace while Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby also got their names on the scoresheet as the Gunners made amends for a sloppy draw versus the Eredivisie champions a fortnight ago.[LNB]Arsenal captain Fabregas broke the deadlock on 25 minutes with a low strike and then a fine goal from Nasri doubled the home side's lead before the half-time whistle.[LNB]Fabregas made it 3-0 early in the second half before Diaby finished off a flowing move to wrap up the win for the table-toppers, while a late goal from AZ's Jeremain Lens proved only a consolation for Ronald Koeman's side.[LNB]Olympiakos' loss against Standard Liege in Group H's other game on Wednesday night means Arsenal are yet to mathematically progress to the knockout stage of the competition.[LNB]UnbeatenAZ boss Ronald Koeman - whose goal won the 1992 European Cup for Barcelona at Wembley - had previously been unbeaten against Wenger, masterminding a 1-1 draw here with PSV in 2007, which knocked the English side out.[LNB]However, there was to be no repeat as the Gunners immediately went on the attack.[LNB]Robin van Persie cut in from the right and flashed a low strike across goal.[LNB]Referee Alain Hamer, kitted out in white, then penalised goalkeeper Sergio Ranero for picking up a backpass from midfield, giving Arsenal an indirect free-kick on the right corner of the six-yard box.[LNB]Van Persie, though, smashed his shot into the wall of black shirts at the near post.[LNB]With Emmanuel Eboue preferred at right-back to Bacary Sagna, the Gunners were certainly more offensive down the flanks, if without lacking any real bite in the final third.[LNB]Arsenal were then gifted the lead on 25 minutes.[LNB]A quick break down the left freed Fabregas on the edge of the penalty area.[LNB]The Gunners captain was given space to drive the ball through David Mendes da Silva's legs, and as Ranero completely mistimed his dive, it somehow crept inside the far post.[LNB]The home side continued to press, and Fabregas was somewhat unfortunate to head over after a deep cross from left-back Kieran Gibbs, in for the injured Gael Clichy, at the end of another swift counter.[LNB]The Gunners doubled their lead just before half-time.[LNB]Andrey Arshavin fed Nasri down the middle.[LNB]The Frenchman, now fit again following a fractured leg suffered during pre-season, turned Hector Moreno inside out to burst into the penalty area, before dispatching a low effort into the bottom right corner on 43 minutes.[LNB]Before AZ could regroup at the start of the second half, Arsenal were out of sight after scoring a third goal on 52 minutes.[LNB]FiredThe visitors gave away possession in midfield, and it proved fatal as Arshavin sprinted towards the penalty area, before slipping in Fabregas, who fired the ball past Romero.[LNB]To their credit, though, AZ kept going.[LNB]Indeed but for a fine reaction block from Manuel Almunia, the visitors would have pulled a goal back.[LNB]Graziano Pelle chested down a cross from Maarten Martens before firing the ball in at point-blank range which Almunia, looking to cement his place as number one again, instinctively pushed up on to the crossbar.[LNB]Wenger made a double change with 24 minutes left, replacing Fabregas with Aaron Ramsey, while Eduardo came on for Van Persie.[LNB]Gibbs came close to netting his first Arsenal goal when driving the ball just wide from the edge of the penalty box.[LNB]It was 4-0 on 72 minutes following another flowing counter-attack.[LNB]A clever back-heel from Eduardo released Arshavin down the right.[LNB]The Russian took the ball on into the area, before squaring to Diaby, who made no mistake from 12 yards.[LNB]Arsenal had what looked a decent shout for handball against Pelle turned down before AZ broke quickly and scored a consolation when Lens held off Gibbs to fire past Almunia.[LNB]There was still time for Ramsey to hit the bar, but the hard work had already been done.[LNB][LNB]ArsenalTeam StatisticsAZ Alkmaar4Goals121st Half Goals06Shots on Target34Shots off Target33Blocked Shots25Corners414Fouls145Offsides20Yellow Cards10Red Cards083.3Passing Success81.528Tackles2764.3Tackles Success70.455.3Possession44.751.3Territorial Advantage48.7
