Arsenal cruise past Lille into share of Champions League lead

LONDON: Arsenal blew away Lille with a three-goal blitz in seven second-half minutes for a 3-0 win to extend their perfect start to the Champions League.

Jurrien Timber's deft finish opened the floodgates just after the hour at the Emirates Stadium before Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka rounded off the scoring.

Victory takes Arsenal into a share of the lead at the top of the Champions League table alongside Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon.

Mikel Arteta was able to use the wealth of resources at his disposal as he made five changes to the side that beat Leeds 2-1 on Saturday.

But it was Lille boss Davide Ancelotti, son of Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti, who was the happier after a goalless first half.

The visitors even had the ball in the net but Ayase Ueda was flagged offside.

Bruno Guimaraes came closest to breaking the deadlock for Arsenal before the break when he fired wide from close range and then his powerful shot from range was parried by Berke Ozer.

The Gunners quickly went through the gears in the second period once Timber dinked the ball over Ozer from Noni Madueke's pass.

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Arteta had left arguably his three most potent attacking weapons on the bench and the introduction of Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard made an immediate impact.

"The ones that finish the game are extraordinary," said Arteta.

"They increase the intensity, the quality and we suffocate them more and more and more."

Saka's low cross picked out Eze whose deflected shot flew into the top corner to end any doubt over the destiny of the three points.

The England winger then finished off an exquisite team move from Havertz's cut-back for Arsenal's third.

There were further cheers from the home fans when Olivier Giroud came on as a late substitute for Lille on his return to the club where he scored 105 goals in a six-year spell.

But Giroud could not conjure up another Emirates goal as Lille remain without a Champions League point after defeat to Real Betis on matchday one.