Late Gunners’ goals dash Anderlecht’s hopes

Sporting Anderlecht lost their third Champions’ League group stage match of the season in Brussels on Wednesday evening. Two late goals from the English Premier League side Arsenal were enough to dash the Belgian Champions' hopes. The result leaves Anderlecht joint bottom of their group with just 1 point from 3 games. Arsenal is second with 6 points.
AFP

Anderlecht started well. However, the first (and only) chances of the first half came from Arsenal’s Ramsay en Cazorla. The half ended goalless.

The second half was a different kettle of fish. Conté looked dangerous for Anderlecht, while a Sanchez free-kick was blocked by Proto at the other end.

Arsenal turned up the heat and Anderlecht had a narrow escape on the hour when Cazorla's shot rebounded off Proto. Luckily for Anderlecht Sanchez shot the rebound over.

The visitors were in the driving seat. However, once again some excellent work by Praet resulted in an Anderlecht goal. His precision pass enabled Najar (photo) to head the Belgian Champions into the lead.

Later in to the half, Vanden Borre and Suarez missed chances to put Anderlecht two-up, but it was not to be.

Joy turned to tragedy in the final minutes of the game when Gibbs put the Gunners level on 89 minutes and a defensive blunder by Mbemba allowed Podolski (photo) to make it 2-1 to Arsenal in the 1st minute of injury time.

With just 1 point from 3 games, it is looking increasingly unlikely that Anderlecht will progress to the knockout stage.
 

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