Ramsey brace seals Arsenal's path to group stages
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Aaron Ramsey brace seals Arsenals place in Champions League group stages but Lukas Podolski injury takes gloss off victory
An Aaron Ramsey brace sealed Arsenals progression into the Champions League group stages, with a 5-0 aggregate victory over Fenerbahce, but injury to Lukas Podolski will leave Arsene Wenger with cause for concern.
Arsenal already have a lengthy injury list, with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thomas Vermaelen and Mikel Arteta already on the sidelines, and seeing Podolski pull up with a hamstring problem will leave Wengers squad even more stretched heading into Sundays north London derby.
But the good news for the Gunners was the performance of Ramsey, who has enjoyed a flying start to the new season and added a further two goals to his tally tonight, to give his side a 2-0 victory at the Emirates.
In the end, it was a comfortable night for the hosts who go into Thursdays draw, but it may have been a slightly tighter affair had goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny not been switched on in the opening stages.
A scramble in the Arsenal penalty box presented Raul Meireles with a chance to catch out the Polish stopper early on, but he was alert to the danger and clawed the ball to safety.
But it was the hosts who created the best opportunities in the early stages, as Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere combined well in the midfield, but Olivier Giroud curled his effort high and wide.
Following a couple of half-chances, the hosts took the lead after 25 minutes, when a sliding tackle on Theo Walcott fell to the grateful Ramsey, who couldnt miss from six yards.
Wengers side nearly doubled their lead seven minutes later, but Girouds driven effort was well blocked by Fenerbahce goalkeeper Volkan Demirel.
And it was Szczesny who was required to be on top of his game shortly after, as the goalkeeper palmed Emmanuel Emenikes goalbound strike onto the post, before springing back to his feet to make a second stop.
Despite Arsenals dominance in the tie, it wasnt a perfect night for Wenger who saw Podolski taken down the tunnel on a stretcher after the break, with the German pulling up with a hamstring problem.
Cazorla drew a fine fingertip save from Demirel midway through the second-half, as the Gunners continued to press forward, before Walcott thundered a free-kick against the bar.
But the hosts finally doubled their lead on the night after 72 minutes, with Ramsey grabbing his second of the match with a deft first-time finish from Kieran Gibbs cross.
Carl Jenkinson was denied his first senior goal by another good save from Demirel from close range as the game entered stoppage time, but the tie had long been sewn up for the Gunners by then.
An Aaron Ramsey brace sealed Arsenals progression into the Champions League group stages, with a 5-0 aggregate victory over Fenerbahce, but injury to Lukas Podolski will leave Arsene Wenger with cause for concern.
Arsenal already have a lengthy injury list, with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thomas Vermaelen and Mikel Arteta already on the sidelines, and seeing Podolski pull up with a hamstring problem will leave Wengers squad even more stretched heading into Sundays north London derby.
But the good news for the Gunners was the performance of Ramsey, who has enjoyed a flying start to the new season and added a further two goals to his tally tonight, to give his side a 2-0 victory at the Emirates.
In the end, it was a comfortable night for the hosts who go into Thursdays draw, but it may have been a slightly tighter affair had goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny not been switched on in the opening stages.
A scramble in the Arsenal penalty box presented Raul Meireles with a chance to catch out the Polish stopper early on, but he was alert to the danger and clawed the ball to safety.
But it was the hosts who created the best opportunities in the early stages, as Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere combined well in the midfield, but Olivier Giroud curled his effort high and wide.
Following a couple of half-chances, the hosts took the lead after 25 minutes, when a sliding tackle on Theo Walcott fell to the grateful Ramsey, who couldnt miss from six yards.
Wengers side nearly doubled their lead seven minutes later, but Girouds driven effort was well blocked by Fenerbahce goalkeeper Volkan Demirel.
And it was Szczesny who was required to be on top of his game shortly after, as the goalkeeper palmed Emmanuel Emenikes goalbound strike onto the post, before springing back to his feet to make a second stop.
Despite Arsenals dominance in the tie, it wasnt a perfect night for Wenger who saw Podolski taken down the tunnel on a stretcher after the break, with the German pulling up with a hamstring problem.
Cazorla drew a fine fingertip save from Demirel midway through the second-half, as the Gunners continued to press forward, before Walcott thundered a free-kick against the bar.
But the hosts finally doubled their lead on the night after 72 minutes, with Ramsey grabbing his second of the match with a deft first-time finish from Kieran Gibbs cross.
Carl Jenkinson was denied his first senior goal by another good save from Demirel from close range as the game entered stoppage time, but the tie had long been sewn up for the Gunners by then.
