Arsene Wenger puffed out his cheeks and strode purposefully down the tunnel. He knew he had been in a game.So
did his players. Alexis Sanchez, the matchwinner and hero of the night,
and Santi Cazorla, a tireless worker in midfield, were walking
gingerly, hobbling even. They had completed 90 minutes but it had taken
its toll. This will have made happy viewing in the households of Nigel
Pearson and his Leicester City players, Arsenal’s opponents on Sunday.
It
was tight. Tighter than it has been for many years. Too tight for
comfort, by the end. Arsenal tend to stroll through this little
technicality in their Champions League programme, the qualification
phase. Not on Wednesday night.
VIDEO Scroll down for Arsene Wenger: Alexis Sanchez gives Arsenal a new dimension
On target: Alexis Sanchez scores on
the stroke of half-time to give Arsenal the lead in their second-leg tie
against Turkish side Besiktas at the Emirates Stadium
You've done it: Jack Wilshere, who was
instrumental in the build-up to Sanchez's strike, celebrates with the
Chile international in front of the delighted home supporters
They
were a goal ahead shortly before half-time but it afforded a false
sense of security. Having failed to score in Istanbul, their single goal
did not alter the requirement for Besiktas. An equaliser would still do
it and as they went in search of one, so Arsenal’s certainty faded.
By
the time the home side were reduced to 10 men with 15 minutes to go, it
is fair to say panic was spreading, certainly in the stands. Arsenal
are a better team than Besiktas, but they were terrifyingly vulnerable
to a single aberration, a slack moment of marking or a freak, deflected
equaliser. Well outside their comfort zone, the fans bawled and screamed
their frustration.
To
be fair, the anger over Mathieu Debuchy’s dismissal was misplaced. He
was rightly booked in the first half for choosing to meet Olcay Sahan
with his shoulder, rather than challenging fairly in the air, and taking
a yellow card into the second half his clumsy manhandling of Mustafa
Pektemek was always going to invite trouble. Referee Pedro Proenca, from
Portugal, showed a red and the Emirates erupted, but it was more out of
fear than justified indignation.
Calum
Chambers was then booked for coming on to the field prematurely as
Wenger sought to reshuffle the team, and may have a greater beef, but as
Besiktas had been denied a very plausible first-half penalty, it is
fair to say Arsenal got the best of any incompetence.
It
would have been a strange penalty, but no less warranted for that. Jack
Wilshere, who was exceptional bar this moment of madness and a miss
after nine minutes that could have put Arsenal in early command, made a
desperate lunge from behind in an attempt to stop Ramon Motta. It was
hard to identify specific contact at first, save for the coincidence of
both men falling within a split second of each other, but replays showed
that in going to ground Wilshere’s hand had clipped Motta’s foot and
perhaps sent him tumbling. Certainly, the circumstantial evidence would
have convinced more than a few referees; and they would have been
right.
Time to celebrate: Arsene Wenger will celebrate 17 years in the Champions League. It was the 1997-98 season
when a group stage last took place without Arsenal
Early bath: Mathieu Debuchy was shown a red card in the second half after he picked up a second bookable offence
Chance: Jack Wilshere had the opportunity to open the scoring for Arsenal in their clash against
Besiktas, but he dragged his left-footed shot wide of the goal
Time to reflect: The England
international holds his head in his hands after dragging his attempt
wide after just nine minutes of the Champions League play-off
Nevertheless,
Arsenal had the better of the chances on the night and would have felt
hard done by had Besiktas progressed. Even in a fraught second half, the
best of it belonged to Arsenal and Sanchez in particular will be
kicking himself for a miss in the 53rd minute which should have put the
result beyond doubt. Debuchy also found the side-netting with a far-post
header, Cazorla had an excellent chance blocked and Alex
Oxlade-Chamberlain could have done better from close range. Against
that, Besiktas will feel they had their moments, not least when Mathieu
Flamini made a hash of a pretty straightforward defensive clearance,
allowing Demba Ba to seize the ball but plant it wide of Wojciech
Szczesny’s goal.
In
the final minute of normal time Ba could not get his head to a cross at
the far post, having lost his marker. Had that gone in, there would
have been no way back for Arsenal.
Instead,
they are in Thursday afternoon’s draw for the Champions League proper,
continuing a run of 17 straight campaigns. And, thanks to a warped
seeding system, in Pot A, just like the biggest clubs in Europe, those
that win domestic leagues and continental titles. It’s nice to be one of
UEFA’s chosen few.
London calling: Former Chelsea and Newcastle striker Demba in action for Besiktas in the second leg of
their Champions League play-off tie against the Gunners
In the stands: Slaven Bilic, who
played for West Ham and Everton during his time in England, watches
Besiktas from the stands after he was sent off in the first leg
On his marks: Alexis Sanchez takes a
first-half free-kick, but it fails to test Tolga Zengin in the Besiktas
goal, falling comfortably into the goalkeeper's hands
The
result was the best news of the night, obviously. For Wenger, second
best was the identity of Arsenal’s goalscorer — Sanchez, the man tasked
with pretending to be a striker for the months when Olivier Giroud is
absent with his broken foot. He isn’t a natural in the position by any
means, maybe not even the solution if Wenger’s resolve wavers before the
transfer deadline closes on Monday, but his first goal for the club was
a vital one and that can only build confidence.
Sanchez’s
display in a forward role at Everton last Saturday was unconvincing and
his appearance as a lone striker here seen as something of a gamble,
but he got the last word. It was quite a test for him, after all. The
final qualification tie for the Champions League is no proving ground,
with so much at stake and away goals counting double. Suppose Arsenal
required two, or even three on the night? With Giroud injured and the
prolific Aaron Ramsey suspended there was a lot of weight on Sanchez’s
shoulders.
To
his credit, he rose to the occasion. He didn’t have much of a first
half, and certainly didn’t apply the pressure in the area that Giroud
would, but when a chance presented itself he snatched at it, and in a
good way. Moments earlier he had overrun a pass from Wilshere to
widespread groans, so it is to Sanchez’s credit that he was instantly
prepared to assume responsibility in front of goal again.
His
moment came in the final minute of the half, after a headed clearance
had found its way to Wilshere. He played a nice one-two with Mesut Ozil
and looked to be shaping to shoot from the return pass. Letting the ball
run, however, took it into the path of Sanchez who decided to eschew
politeness and have a go, first time. Jackpot. Sanchez struck his shot
low and goalkeeper Tolga Zengin could not get down quickly enough.
Ultimately, it was all Arsenal required. For the 17th season in
succession a delegation from the club will arrive in Monaco for the
Champions League draw.
It
was 1997-98 when balls were last placed in UEFA’s many pots without one
containing Arsenal’s name. Princess Diana was still alive and a chap
called Steve Jobs had just resumed working at Apple. Considering events
at Milton Keynes on Tuesday night and how quickly a football club’s
fortunes can change, Arsenal have every reason to be proud of that
record. They might even allow themselves a little pat on the back and
call it business as usual.
What
they cannot say this time, however is that it was never in doubt. That
little puff of the cheeks suggests Wenger knows it, too.
Yellow peril: Arsenal defender Debuchy picked up his first booking after an airborne challenge leading
with his shoulder in the opening half
On the run: Mesut Ozil canters down
Arsenal's left-hand side, but his final ball was disappointing and the
Turkish side regained possession
So close: Sanchez almost doubled his
tally after 51 minutes at the Emirates following a delightful
through-ball from team-mate Wilshere
Let me take a selfie: Lukas Podolski
was back in the Arsenal squad for the first time this season after
winning the World Cup with Germany
Spilling
over: Debuchy appeared to confront referee Pedro Proenca at the final
whistle before he is pulled back by team-mates' Per Mertesacker and
Matheiu Flamini
On his
feet: Ba, who had a chance to score an equaliser in the latter stages,
is consoled by Mertesacker, and then a smiling Wilshere at the final
whistle
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