Alexis Sanchez's first goal in an Arsenal shirt has given the North Londoners a 1-0 advantage at the break of their Champions League qualifier against Besiktas at the Emirates Stadium this evening.
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The Gunners started brightly in front of a home crowd, with the likes of Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla causing problems with some slick passing.
It was England midfielder Wilshere that had their first chance in the ninth minute, but having burst between two defenders and into the penalty area, he skewed his shot wide of Tolga Zengin's goal.
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Then, just 60 seconds later, a poor clearance from Zengin left the visiting keeper stranded, but Cazorla's rebounded effort from 50 yards out floated harmlessly off target.
It seemed that those would prove to be Arsenal's two major opportunities of the half, but in the first minute of time added on, Sanchez slid the ball underneath an advancing Zengin and into the net to give Arsenal a 1-0 lead on the night and on aggregate.
Liam Apicella
