UCL: Steaua Bucharest v Arsenal match
report
Robin van Persie secured Arsenals ninth straight win with the only
goal at Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday night.
The Dutchman hammered home his fifth goal of the season - and his
second winner in four days in the 76th minute to decide a fraught
and frantic affair in the Romanian capital.
Arsenal thought they had halted Steauas sparky display just before
half-time when Gael Clichys deflected ball appeared to cross the
line despite the best efforts of keeper Robinson Zapata. Replays
suggested the referee was right to rule it out.
However, as the game went on, Arsenal got stronger and it was no
surprise to see the Dutchman rifle home a clever cutback from
Emmanuel Adebayor after good work by Alex Hleb. It was the least
the visitors deserved after another dominant, if not free-flowing,
display.
On the eve of this game, Arsène Wenger had suggested his side would
need 10 points to qualify from Champions League Group H.
After just two of the six games that task is 60 per cent
completed.
Before kick-off, the manager had five players facing fitness tests
- Robin van Persie (ankle), Alex Hleb (knee), Emmanuel Adebayor
(thigh), Mathieu Flamini (knee) and Abou Diaby (ankle).
In the end only the last of those failed to start the game. If even
he made the bench. Emmanuel Eboue came in on the right and Hleb,
who had been stretchered off at West Ham on Saturday, was switched
to the left.
Jens Lehmann (elbow), Willam Gallas (groin), Alex Song (calf),
Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) and Eduardo (hamstring) were still on the
treatment table.
Steaua had lost their manager since their defeat to Slavia Prague
on Matchday One. Gheorghe Hagi was one of Romanias greatest
players and had masterminded Galatasarays victory over Wengers
Arsenal in the Uefa Cup Final of 2000.
Perhaps his unpopular dismissal was the reason half of the 28,000
seats in the Steaua Stadium were empty this evening.
However what the home fans lacked in numbers they made up for in
passion. And they nearly had something to shout about in the sixth
minute. Valentin Badea, who had already drifted a header over the
bar, ghosted in at the far post to nod home a right-wing free-kick
by Benal Nicolita. Replays confirmed that referee Terje Hauge was
right to rule it offside.
Arsenal should have provided the perfect riposte. They flew up the
other end, Van Persie got to the byline and scuttled a low ball
across the area. Hleb collected and rolled the ball back into the
area to Fabregas six yards out. Inexplicably, Fabregas screwed his
shot over the bar.
Steaua were belying their reputation of a side hit by a double
whammy - injury problems and internal strife. Nicolae Dica flashed
a low, long-range drive beyond the diving Almunias left hand and
the post in the 20th minute. Just before the half-hour Nicolita
nearly stole in before the keeper collected Clichys back
header.
Seconds later, Van Persies clever touch sent Adebayor clear in the
left-hand channel but the Togolese striker chose to square the ball
into a penalty area over-populated with Steaua shirts when a shot
on goal was much the better option. However it was Arsenal were
starting to find the measure of their hosts
Ovidu Petre fired over for Steaua but in the 35th minute Fabregas
and Hleb played a one-two in the area only for the latters drive
to be blocked on the edge of the six-yard box.
Five minutes before the break. Arsenal thought they had gone ahead.
Clichy had ample time to cross from the left but his effort
cannoned off Petre Marin. It wrong-footed keeper Robinson Zapata
who did well to re-adjust and clutch the ball on the line. His
momentum slid the Columbian over it and the ball went with him.
Replays suggested the keeper hauled the ball back before its
entirety had crossed.
Then, as half time approached, Flamini then forced Zapata into
another sharp save at his near post.
As the whistle blew there was a sense that Arsenal were starting to
turn the screw.
They nearly got their reward 10 minutes after break. Romeo Surdu
crudely hauled down Helb on the left, Fabregas swung the free-kick
into the area and, although the leaping Adebayor got the merest
touch, Robinson batted the ball clear at full stretch.
However, almost immediately, Arsenal had let off themselves.
Almunia rushed out of his area the head the ball clear. However it
fell to the feet of Adrian Negra whose lob sailed over the Spanish
keeper and had to be nodded away by Toure, who had taken up sentry
duty on his own line.
Hlebs trickery continued to cause Steaua problems on the left but
often his work lacked accuracy in the final ball.
After Van Persie had hooked over from Adebayors fine cross, the
Belarus fired over the bar. It was an indication that Arsenal were,
once again, going to finish strongly.
However in the 70th minute, Nicolitas through-ball sent substitute
Victoras Iacob clear. Arsenal looked for an offside flag. It never
came. Fortunately for them the gangly striker snatched at his
chance and guided his shot wastefully over the bar.
The extent of its wastefulness would be shown in the 76th minute.
Hleb fed Adeabyor, who bulldozered his way to the byline. His
cutback evaded Fabregas but not Van Persie hammered a left foot
shot high into the net.
The goal killed Steauas spirit. In the dying minutes, Fabregas
tested Zapata from range and Adebayor hoiked an effort over the
bar.
This victory was hardly 90 when, to borrow the managers phrase,
life was beautiful. But it was pretty enough and certainly showed
the efficiency of a side who are going places.
