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Alexis Sanchez scores the winner as 10-man Gunners qualify for the CL group stages
They will be there, in pot A, business as usual today. But it was tight. Tighter than it has been for many years. Too tight for comfort, by the end.
Down to ten men with 15 minutes to go, Arsenal were a goal away from departing the Champions League before the serious stuff gets underway for the first time since the last century.
Tony Blair was in his first term as Prime Minister when Arsenal were last absent from the league stage of the competition, and this was as close as it has been for them since.
Alexis Sanchez scores on the stroke of half-time to give Arsenal the lead
When referee Pedro Proenca showed Mathieu Debuchy a yellow card for a second bookable offence – a clumsy trip on Mustafa Pekmetek to go with his shoulder charge on Olcay Sahan in the first-half – the Emirates erupted, but it was more out of fear than genuine indignation.
Perhaps the second was harsh, but Debuchy was asking for trouble with a yellow card already against his name, and he can really have no complaints.
Calum Chambers was also booked for coming onto the field prematurely as Arsene Wenger sought to reshuffle the team, and may have a case for over officiousness.
But as Beskitas had what appeared to be a very reasonable penalty claim rejected in the first-half, it seems Arsenal got the better of the poor calls on the night.
Up in the stands, banned from the touchline for being dismissed in the first leg, Slaven Bilic appeared to be channelling the moods and intensity of Breaking Bad’s Walter White.
Somehow, Arsenal clung on. They did have good second-half chances, too, not least one that fell to Alexis Sanchez after 53 minutes and header from Debuchy that found the side-netting after 61 – but that did little to settle the home nerves.
Had Demba Ba not struck a shot wide after woeful defending from Mathieu Flamini in the 64th minute, and failed to connect with a head in the final minute of normal time, this could have been the end of 17 years of excellence.
Instead, an Arsenal delegation will depart for Monaco and the draw proper. It was the 1997-98 season when a Champions League group stage last took place without Arsenal but, as this match headed for half-time without the deadlock broken, it was clear Arsene Wenger’s proud record was being challenged like never before.
Arsenal have been here too many times, steering a successful path through on each occasion, for the fans to hit the panic button so early. Even so, the vital intervention of Sanchez could not have come at a better time. (MailOnline)
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