Arsenal advances with 2-0 win over Standard Liege

Arsenal advances with 2-0 win over Standard Liege

Published Nov. 25, 2009 12:43 a.m. ET

Arsenal advanced to the Champions League knockout round after beating Standard Liege 2-0 with goals from Samir Nasri and Denilson in the first half on Tuesday.


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The victory means Arsenal has won Group H with one game to spare. Standard is left on four points, three behind second-place Olympiakos, but can still overtake the Greek club in the last round.

It is the 10th consecutive season that Arsenal has qualified for the knockout round. The team also bounced back from a surprise defeat to Sunderland over the weekend in the English Premier League.

"In this group, we were favorites," manager Arsene Wenger said. "We did the job. If you put the 10 years together, we have been consistent."

Nasri broke the deadlock in a tense opening period after Standard defender Landry Mulemo slipped when trying to clear a long pass from Thomas Vermaelen. Nasri latched on to the ball and the France international fired past goalkeeper Sinan Bolat in the 35th minute.

Arsenal had several other close efforts late in the first half before Denilson struck a swerving shot from 25 yards out that beat Bolat.

Arsenal was down to 10 men for Nasri's goal with Andrei Arshavin receiving treatment on the sidelines for a gash that left blood streaming down his face after he and William Gallas collided while going up for a cross. Gallas had just came back on the pitch with a swollen right eye moments before the goal.

Arsenal dominated the opening 20 minutes, and the clearest opportunity came in the 15th minute when a corner by captain Cesc Fabregas led to a chaotic three shots.

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