UCL: Arsenal 3-0 FC Sevilla: Convincing start for Gunners

	Arsenal 3 - 0 FC Sevilla 27' Francesc Fabregas 1 - 0 59' Robin Van Persie 2 - 0 90' Eduardo 3 - 0
3		0

Arsenal continued to show few signs of missing Thierry Henry as Arsene Wenger's young Gunners swept aside Sevilla 3-0 to get their Champions League campaign off to the perfect start at the Emirates Stadium.

Star man Henry may have been sold to Barcelona during the summer but the rest of the squad have certainly pulled together, racing to the top of the Premier League with four wins from five games.

And it was another composed and collected display to see off the challenge of the Spanish side, coached by Tottenham target Juande Ramos, which was supposed to be the toughest of Group H.

An own goal from Julien Escude, deflecting in Cesc Fabregas' shot on 27 minutes, set the Gunners on their way, with Robin van Persie doubling the hosts' lead after the break and substitute Eduardo adding a third in stoppage time.

With the visit of Premier League whipping boys Derby to come on Saturday, Wenger's ``gamble'' in facing up to life with without Henry looks, for now, to have been a bet worth taking.

There was plenty of vocal support from the home crowd, Emirates Stadium packed close to its 60,000 capacity - more than can be said for Stamford Bridge across in west London on Tuesday.

After Jesus Navas had drilled a 20-yard strike only inches over the crossbar, Arsenal slowly upped the tempo.

Van Persie stung the hands of Andres Palop with a fierce drive from the edge of the box after skipping a couple of agricultural challenges from the Sevilla defence.

On 15 minutes, Emmanuel Adebayor slid in as the Sevilla goalkeeper then spilled a low strike from Mathieu Flamini, but the beanpole Togo striker was penalised by the Swedish referee for dangerous play.

Tomas Rosicky gave away a free-kick near the left corner to hand Sevilla a chance to attack the Arsenal goal from a set-piece on 21 minutes.

However, the delivery from one-time Chelsea target Daniel Alves was appalling, sent over into no man's land on the far side and out of play.

The Gunners snatched the lead on 27 minutes.

Fabregas picked the ball up around 22 yards out on the right of the penalty arc and fired in a well-hit shot across the area.

The ball then took a wicked deflection off Escude and flew past the wrong-footed Palop into the opposite corner.

They all count, though, as Fabregas wheeled away to celebrate what he hopes will eventually be credited as a sixth goal of the season.

The Gunners were on top now.

Kolo Toure headed across goal from a corner as the home side looked for a second before half-time.

Arsenal created another decent opening when Adebayor cut in from the left and charged towards the penalty spot.

Having done the hard work, the lanky African then managed to somehow spoon his shot horribly wide.

At the other end, Gunners goalkeeper Manuel Almunia - with little to do so far - had to be alert to beat away an angled drive from Fredi Kanoute.

Arsenal were forced into a change early in the second half when Rosicky went off with what looked like another injury problem for the Czech midfielder, and he was replaced by Abou Diaby.

As the hour mark approached, Arsenal were awarded a free-kick on the left when Alves bundled over Flamini.

The delivery from Fabregas into the six-yard box was flicked on by Bacary Sagna - and Van Persie arrived on cue at the far post to smash the ball home from close range.

With the points now all but safe, Arsenal were able to relax somewhat, yet still needed to be alert to the quick counter-attacks from the Spaniards.

Former Spurs man Kanoute was roundly booed by sections of the home fans when he was on the ball, but it was his run down the right which resulted in a scramble in the Arsenal six-yard box which could easily have been put away.

Arsenal - Champions League finalists in 2006 - just needed to retain focus for the closing stages to ensure a perfect start to their European campaign.

Adebayor flashed a diving header just wide of the far post following a determined run and cross from Sagna down the right.

In stoppage time, substitute Eduardo - the man bought following the sale of Henry - swept home from close range after a neat exchange between Alexander Hleb and Fabregas.

However, Arsenal had already done more than enough to deserve another comfortable victory of what has been an impressive, and perhaps ominous, start to a campaign which was supposed to offer little chance of success without their departed talisman.

Source: Soccernet.com