Young Gunners hit three past Sevilla
Fabregas was highly influential in the Gunners midfield
Wednesday, 19, Sep 2007 11:20
Arsenal cruised past Sevilla with a deserved 3-0 win to start their Champions League campaign in fine style.
Midfielder Cesc Fabregas turned in a commanding display and had a hand in all three goals.
Although Sevilla showed some promising touches the Gunners were able to limit their opportunities to long-range efforts.
Jesus Navas went close for the visitors early on and Manuel Almunia was pleased to see the midfielder's shot go over the bar.
Arsenal responded with a series of chances which exposed Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop. Robin van Persie went close with a shot on the turn at the edge of the area which the Palop failed to hold.
The goalkeeper then spilled a weak shot from Matthew Flamini but managed to retrieve the ball before Emmanuel Adebayor could pounce.
The Gunners took the lead when Fabregas hit a speculative effort from outside the box midway through the first half; it deflected off the back of Julien Escude and into the net.
Having taken a 1-0 lead into the break the Gunners slowly worked their way in to the second period.
They doubled their lead midway through the second half. Fabregas whipped in a free-kick which was flicked on by Bakary Sagna. His touch wrong-footed the defence handing van Persie time and space two yards out and he tapped the ball home.
Later Adebayor came close to adding a third goal but his diving header shaved the side of the post.
Arsene Wenger's men capped a good night in the dying minutes of the game when Eduardo da Silva, who had replaced Adebayor, finished from close-range.
Fabregas and Hleb passed their way into the Sevilla box and left Eduardo with the simplest of finishes.