UCL – What We Learned – Olympiacos 0 Arsenal 3

UCL – What We Learned – Olympiacos 0 Arsenal 3

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Arsenal have pulled off one of the greatest escapes in Champions League history to progress through to the knock out stages with a masterful 3-0 victory over Olympiacos at the Karaiskakis Stadium on Wednesday night.

Needing to win by two clear goals to book their place in the round of 16, the Gunners were on the back foot early as the home side began with purpose, buoyed by the white-hot atmosphere generated by the boisterous home support.

The hostility quickly turned to stunned silence as Olivier Giroud got the ball rolling for the visitors with a well directed header via the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Roberto, highlighted by a superb reverse pass by Mesut Ozil that found Aaron Ramsey to get in behind the Greeks’ defence.

From then on Arsenal looked in complete control, dictating the tempo of the contest and looking the team more likely to breach the opposing defence as they went in search for that decisive second goal.

They would not have to wait long. A matter of minutes after the half time interval, Giroud struck again, clinically finishing into the bottom corner after a wonderful intricate pass from former Olympiacos player Joel Campbell. That ball found the Frenchman’s run who took it in his stride.

With still 40 minutes to play, the game was still very much on a knife’s edge with Olympiacos knowing a solitary strike would be enough to see them through.

Just past the hour mark, referee Nicola Rizzoli awarded the visitors a penalty after Nacho Monreal’s shot cannoned into the hand of Omar Elabdellaoui. It was harsh on the right-back; he was not looking at the ball when it struck him.

Giroud stepped up and sent Roberto the wrong way to complete his hat-trick and a perfect night all round for Arsene Wenger’s side, with the Gunners into the knock out stages for the 16th consecutive season.

The result completed a remarkable turnaround for the North Londoners whose European aspirations seemed dead and buried after loosing their first two games of the campaign. They can now look forward to the round of 16 draw which takes place on Monday in Nyon.

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