Arsenal 5-2 Fenerbahce
Arsenal FC ended Fenerbahçe SK’s 15-match unbeaten home European run in stunning style after early strikes by Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott gave them an advantage they never relinquished.
Frantic start
The first two goals were in similar style as Adebayor and Walcott sprinted clear within a minute of each other and a Mikaël Silvestre own goal did not stop the momentum thanks to Abou Diaby. That was all in the first 22 minutes, and despite some frantic Fenerbahçe efforts, Alexandre Song made it 4-1 early in the second half. Athough Daniel Güiza pulled one back, teenager Aaron Ramsey had the last word and Arsenal look in control of UEFA Champions League Group G.
Early chance
Fenerbahçe coach Luis Aragonés opted to start with Chilean midfielder Claudio Maldonado, omitting Turkey winger Kazim Kazim altogether, but while Ugur Boral forced Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia into a save on four minutes, it was the visitors who were making the running. Gökhan Gönül started at right-back with an injection in his foot due to Önder Turaci's last-minute injury, but Fenerbahçe's defence were stretched by the pace of Arsenal and were soon breached twice in quick succession by the guile of Cesc Fàbregas.
Quickfire goals
On ten minutes the Spain midfielder's through ball was timed just right for lone striker Adebayor to beat the Fenerbahçe offside trap and slotted past Volkan Demirel. Seconds later the goalkeeper was picking the ball out of his net again. This time Fàbregas found Walcott, who sprinted clear of Edu and rounded Volkan Demirel before tapping in.
Comeback thwarted
However, Fenerbahçe's fans were not about to give up and hopes of the sort of comeback that took them to last season's quarter-finals were raised eight minutes later when Alex's free-kick fell to Güiza, whose shot deflected in off Silvestre, making only his second start in an injury-hit Arsenal defence. Arsenal did not lower their tempo, though, and three minutes later made it 3-1 with yet another quick break, Diaby showing pace this time to claim his first goal for the club with a calm finish. Yet that might not have been all of the scoring before the break. Güiza had a strike ruled out for offside just past the half-hour and both he and Semih Sentürk came close on several occasions.
Song goal
Those misses were to prove costly as within four minutes of the restart it was 4-1. Selçuk Sahin's attempted clearance from a Fàbregas free-kick hit the head of Edu and the grateful Silvestre nodded the ball down to Alexandre Song to claim his first Arsenal goal. Although Aragonés soon introduced Ali Bilgin on the right, the visitors had shut up shop and Fenerbahçe were not finding chances as easy to come by as before the interval.
Late consolation
Güiza did end his personal frustration 12 minutes from the end when he pounced on a Song back-header and elegantly chipped Almunia, but 17-year-old substitute Ramsey, on his competition debut, struck from otuside the box in added time. Arsenal now lead Group G by two points from FC Dynamo Kyiv; Fenerbahçe are bottom with just one draw to their name and desperately need a result in London on 5 November.
Champions League
