- Standard Liege
- 2-3
- Arsenal
- Mangala (2), Jovanovic (5 pen)
- Bendtner (45), Vermaelen (78), Eduardo (81)
- Date:2009-09-16
- Kick-off:19:45
- Venue:Stade de Sclessin
- Attendance:58100
- Referee:Gonzalez, E I
Live Commentary
90mins
Full-Time: STANDARD LIEGE 2-3 ARSENAL.
90mins
Wenger is barking instructions out, his side are close to a superb victory.
90mins
Three minutes of added time to be played.
90mins
Almost into stoppage time now.
89mins
Mannone safely catches a high ball into his area, he has had little to do since the first five minutes.
87mins
The home fans are quiet now, the game has turned on its head in the last ten minutes.
86mins
Jack Wilshere enters the fray for Eduardo.
85mins
Arsenal indulge in a bit of keep-ball.
84mins
Standard bring on Moussa Traore for Witsel.
82mins
What an incredible turnaround and Arsenal have unusually for them scored some scruffy goals.
81mins
STANDARD LIEGE 2-3 ARSENAL, unbelievable, a corner from the left is missed by everyone and EDUARDO pokes the ball home from close range.
80mins
Reginal Goreux comes on for Dalmat.
79mins
Eduardo almost gives the Gunners the lead, Bolat makes a fine save and the resulting corner is kicked off the line.
78mins
Bacary Sagna takes the place of Eboue.
78mins
STANDARD LIEGE 2-2 ARSENAL, a free-kick from the left reaches the far post and Thomas VERMAELEN bundles the ball home from inches out despite protests for offside.
76mins
Nicaise is cautioned for a barge on Mannone.
76mins
Dalmat, who has impressed down the right, wins a corner for Standard.
74mins
Fabregas shoots from 25 yards, but his bobbling effort is no trouble for Bolat.
72mins
Eboue fires over another woeful cross which drops into the home fans behind the goal.
71mins
Ramsey tries a shot from 30 yards, Bolat is right behind it.
70mins
Twenty minutes to play and Standard still hold the upper hand.
70mins
Aaron Ramsey takes over from Rosicky for the Gunners.
68mins
Midway through the second half and Arsenal have yet to test the home keeper since the restart.
67mins
Alex Witsel goes into the book for a foul on Bendtner.
66mins
Eduardo wastes a couple of corners with some wayward deliveries.
64mins
Fabregas lifts the ball through to Eduardo, but he is flagged offside.
62mins
Wenger is prowling the touchline, still looking a little worried.
60mins
An hour gone and the pace of the game has just dropped a little.
59mins
Jovanovic is injured and is replaced by Benjamin Nicaise.
56mins
Song wastes an opportunity before Standard break quickly and Dalmat almost sets up a third goal, only for Eboue to clear the danger.
53mins
Bolat collects another poor free-kick from Fabregas, who has looked a little sluggish throughout.
52mins
The second half has started much better for Arsenal than the first did, the game is very even now.
49mins
Rosicky tries to feed a pass through to Bendtner, but Bolat is out smartly to gather.
47mins
Bendtner steams clear at the other end, but Mangala makes a superb recovery tackle to prevent an equaliser.
46mins
Mbokani has a shot blocked after Igor De Camargo makes ground through the Gunners defence.
46mins
Arsenal get the second half underway boosted by their goal just before the break.
45mins
Half-Time: STANDARD LIEGE 2-1 ARSENAL.
45mins
STANDARD LIEGE 2-1 ARSENAL, Diaby plays in BENDTNER on the right and he drills a low shot through the legs of Bolat and into the far corner of the net.
44mins
Bolat has earned a yellow card, presumably for a bit of timewasting.
44mins
The ball is lofted into the home area and Bolat wins a free-kick as he goes up with Eduardo.
42mins
The impressive Mbokani gets a shot in from 25 yards, but it's too weak to trouble Mannone.
41mins
The game has just opened up a bit, with Standard now coming out and looking for a killer third.
39mins
Diaby forces his way into the area, but cannot win a corner as he slips trying to put in a cross.
37mins
Clichy gets in a cross from the left, but Bolat makes a confident catch under little or no pressure.
35mins
Dieumerci Mbokani holds the ball well right by the corner flag and eventually wins a throw-in.
34mins
Gael Clichy hacks down Dalmat and is the first man to have his name taken.
32mins
Wenger still looks very anxious, his side have been woeful so far.
31mins
Bendtner gets away down the left, but his ball across the face of goal fails to pick out a team-mate.
30mins
A good passing movement ends with Diaby floating a cross out of play for a Standard goal-kick.
28mins
Almost unbelievably, Arsenal continue to keep giving the ball away.
27mins
Cesc Fabregas' free-kick from 45 yards drifts straight into the hands of home keeper Sinan Bolat.
26mins
The Gunners break down a home attack, with Jovanovic a danger down the left flank.
23mins
Midway through the first half and Liege are in total command of the game at the moment.
22mins
Arsenal enjoy a lengthy period of possession, but cannot find an opening as Eduardo's cross is cut out.
20mins
The home fans are making a right old racket now and who can blame them.
19mins
Jovanovic wins a free-kick from Emmanuel Eboue as Standard push forward.
18mins
Bendtner now appears to be struggling with a knock of some sort.
16mins
Nicklas Bendtner hacks down Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez in midfield, but escapes a yellow card.
15mins
Standard are now content to defend in numbers and wait for the counter-attack opportunity.
13mins
Tomas Rosicky curls in a fine ball from the right, but Wilfried Dalmat is in the right place to head clear with Eduardo right behind him.
13mins
Arsenal finally get inside the Standard area, but are unable to forge an opening.
10mins
Ten minutes in and Arsenal are still in shock after a nightmare start to the game.
8mins
Abou Diaby bundles his way through, but concedes a free-kick in the home area.
7mins
Mannone leaves his area and hacks the ball clear, it's panic stations at the moment.
6mins
Arsene Wenger looks like he's about to explode on the bench, Standard cannot have dreamt of making such a start.
5mins
STANDARD LIEGE 2-0 ARSENAL, JOVANOVIC sends Mannone the wrong way and the home side are sensationally two goals in front already.
4mins
PENALTY to Standard, as Milan Jovanovic goes down after minimal contact from William Gallas.
2mins
STANDARD LIEGE 1-0 ARSENAL, Eduardo gives the ball away on the edge of the area and Eliaquim MANGALA fires home a low shot from 20 yards out.
2mins
Standard win the first corner of the game as Alex Song turns the ball behind.
1mins
Standard get the game underway.
0mins
The home side, the Belgian champions, are without star midfielder Steve Defour due to a foot injury.
0mins
Robin van Persie, Andrey Arshavin, Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri are all missing for the Gunners, while Vito Mannone starts in goal.
0mins
Arsenal start their Champions League Group H campaign with a trip to Belgium to take on Standard Liege.
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Match Report
Arsenal mounted a stirring comeback to secure a 3-2 victory at Standard Liege, having been two goals behind within five minutes of the start of their Champions League Group H clash.
Eduardo proved to be the matchwinner for the Gunners, who scored twice in the final 12 minutes in the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.
Robin van Persie, Andrey Arshavin, Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri were all missing for the Gunners, while Vito Mannone started in goal in place of injured duo Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski.
The home side, the Belgian champions, were without star midfielder Steve Defour due to a foot injury, but they still made a flying start to the game.
Eduardo gave the ball away on the edge of the area following the first corner of the game and Eliaquim Mangala fired home a low, left-foot shot from 20 yards out.
That was after a mere two minutes and three minutes later it was 2-0 to Standard after Milan Jovanovic went down under the challenge of William Gallas.
Jovanovic picked himself up to despatch the spot-kick with some ease, sending the unfortunate Mannone the right way.
Having made a perfect start, Standard sat back and invited some pressure, but a strangely wayward Gunners passing game caused them few problems.
However, that changed right on the stroke of half-time as Abou Diaby played in Nicklas Bendtner on the right and he drilled a low shot through the legs of Sinan Bolat and into the far corner of the net.
Straight after the restart Dieumerci Mbokani had a shot blocked after Igor De Camargo made ground through the Gunners defence.
Soon after Bendtner ran clear at the other end, but Mangala made a superb recovery tackle to prevent an equaliser.
The game then dropped in tempo and there were few chances at either end, before the Gunners suddenly turned the game on its head as it drew to a close.
Twelve minutes from time a Cesc Fabregas free-kick from the left reached the far post and Thomas Vermaelen bundled the ball home from inches out, despite protests for offside and handball by Alex Song.
Three minutes later and Arsenal grabbed a winner as a Fabregas corner from the left was missed by several defenders and Eduardo poked the ball home from close range.
Arsenal Team
Standard Liege | Arsenal |
Corners
| 4 | 5 |
Fouls
| 18 | 18 |
Goal attempts
| 3 | 13 |
Shots off target
| 0 | 3 |
Offsides
| 3 | 1 |



90mins
Clichy makes a superb tackle to deny De Camargo, that could be a matchwinner.