Source: Daily_Mail
Standard Liege 2 Arsenal 3: Bendtner inspires great escape after early nightmare
Thomas Vermaelen returned to his native Belgium claiming English football was like a 'circus' and at times on Wednesday night Arsenal might have been more at home under a big top. [LNB]After the drama and controversy of Eduardo's 'dive' and Emmanuel Adebayor's 'stamp' on Robin van Persie at Manchester City, the Gunners were seeking a routine victory against Standard Liege a team making their first appearance at this stage of the competition. [LNB] Comeback complete: Arsenal celebrate Eduardo's late winner[LNB] They were to be disappointed, however, as an outbreak of comical defending tore through the ranks, gifting the Belgians a 2-0 lead inside five minutes before Arsenal mounted their recovery. [LNB]Eduardo, playing after winning his appeal to overturn a two-match ban for diving against Celtic was at fault for the first, attempting a silly backheel in defence which allowed Eliaquim Mangala to fire Standard ahead. [LNB]The second was a penalty scored by Milan Jovanovic after he had tumbled as he tried to elude William Gallas. Arsenal contested the decision and Jovanovic did seem to make the most of any contact. But the Gunners were on shaky ground here, after their rigorous and ultimately successful efforts to Eduardo's name in similar circumstances. [LNB]But, after losing to both Manchester teams in the Barclays Premier League, Arsene Wenger's team avoided the ignominy of a third successive defeat for the first time in seven years. [LNB] Bundle of joy: Liege players pile on Mangala as Eduardo looks disconsolate[LNB] Bendtner scored from a tight angle in first-half stoppage time before Vermaelen finished a bout of penalty area pinball on 78 minutes to equalise. Eduardo grabbed a fortuitous winner off his knee from a Fabregas corner three minutes later. [LNB]For inspiration, Standard had played heavily upon the memory of their 7-0 home defeat at the hands of Arsenal when the clubs last met, 16 years ago in the European Cupwinners Cup. [LNB]It seemed to do the trick. Banners about revenge and vendetta were unfurled as the teams emerged. Flares were lit and the Belgians bounced and sang and banged their drums. Five minutes later, their team were two goals ahead. It was an astonishing start. Arsenal's rookie goalkeeper Vito Mannone had barely touched the ball in open play but had picked it twice from his net. [LNB]Home comforts: Belgian Thomas Vermaelen celebrates his equaliser as Liege players appeal in vain for handball[LNB]The first followed a corner, needlessly conceded by Alex Song as a result of a breakdown in communication with Mannone. Vermaelen headed it out, as far as Eduardo yards outside the penalty area but the Brazilian-born Croatia international attempted a ridiculous backheel flick. [LNB]Whatever Eduardo had in mind, it did not work. The ball rolled into the path of central defender Mangala, who steadied himself before lashing it low into the bottom corner. [LNB]There were two minutes on the clock, the home fans were going berserk and Arsenal were in desperate need of composure. Unfortunately it was nowhere to be seen. [LNB]Emmanuel Eboue galloped forward from right back and was out of position when Standard broke. Gallas shuffled across to attend to dangerman Jovanovic but the Serb dropped his shoulder and jinked inside. Gallas stuck out his left leg and Jovanovic promptly fell. [LNB]Spanish referee Eduardo Itarralde Gonzalez, namesake and fellow-countryman of Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez, the referee at the centre of the Eduardo dive storm, pointed straight to the spot. The Gunners complained without success and Jovanovic sent Mannone the wrong way to make it 2-0. [LNB]It was only Mannone's second first-tem game for Arsenal after playing against Stoke in May. He was thrust into a Champions League debut because Manuel Almunia has a chest infection and Lukasz Fabianksi is still not fit after knee surgery. But as half-time approached, Standard started to detect a major shock and sank back towards their own goal, allowing Arsenal time to play for the first time. [LNB] Much-needed: Nicklas Bendtner scores the vital first goal for Arsenal on the stroke of half-time[LNB]Suddenly Tomas Rosicky, starting his first game after 20 months of injury problems, and Fabregas began to knit passes together. It was Diaby who unlocked the defence for the goal in the final minute of the first half with a precise pass to release Bendtner, who drove his shot past keeper Sinan Bolat from a tight angle. [LNB]Bendtner's goal on his 100th appearance for the club was a lifeline, giving Wenger something to work on during the interval but his defence opened up within seconds of the restart to gift Standard a wonderful chance to restore their two-goal cushion. [LNB]Jovanovic pounced on a sloppy pass by Gallas and crossed for Dieudonne Mbokani but he hesitated in front of goal and allowed Song to produce a desperate but effective block. [LNB]Moments later and Bendtner was through on goal at the other end, released by Rosicky's pass. Like Mbokani, the Dane wanted too long and Mangala was able to chase back and dispossess him with a well-timed tackle. [LNB]Arsenal continued to live dangerously and a last-ditch clearance by Eboue was required to stop a red shirt tapping in a low, swerving cross from Wilfried Dalmat. But Vermaelen and Eduardo came to the rescue. [LNB] Standard Liege 2 Arsenal 3: The action as it happenedManchester City striker Adebeyor admits to violent conduct charge after stamping on Van PersieThese idiots want to start riots! Harry Redknapp blasts Arsenal fansWenger wants No Diving but Arsenal boss says Eduardo case was paranoiaARSENAL FC
