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  • 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

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

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.

Standard Liege

Arsenal

Corners

45

Fouls

1818

Goal attempts

313

Shots off target

03

Offsides

31

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