Champions League

[monks data]

Champions League | Group Stage

Oct 22, 2014 at 7.45pm UK

Anderlecht
1-2
Arsenal

Najar (71')

FT(HT: 0-0)

Gibbs (89'), Podolski (91')

Anderlecht crumble at the death to gift Arsenal win

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 22 October 2014

Anderlecht gift Arsenal a 2-1 win in tonight's Champions League Group D clash at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, thanks to two late Gunners goals.

Distraught Anderlecht conceded two goals in the final few minutes of their game against Arsenal to gift the Gunners a 2-1 win in tonight's Champions League Group D clash at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium.

Arsenal's Polish-born German striker Lukas Podolski celebrates with teammates after scoring during a UEFA Champions League group stage football match Anderlecht vs Arsenal at the Constant Vanden Stock stadium in Anderlecht on October 22, 2014 © Getty Images

The first effort of the game came in the third minute when Alexis Sanchez picked out Santi Cazorla inside the box, but the Spaniard contrived to skew his effort high and wide.

Chancel Mbemba then seized on Mathieu Flamini's poor control to fire a shot from range in the 13th minute, but the sting was taken out of his effort in the process, which allowed third-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to collect easily.

The game then went through the motions for a period before seeing a burst of action just after the half-hour mark, Frank Acheampong being allowed plenty of space but failing to capitalise.

Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez has a shot on goal past Anderlecht's defender Olivier Deschacht during a UEFA Champions League group stage football match Anderlecht vs Arsenal at the Constant Vanden Stock stadium in Anderlecht on October 22, 2014 © Getty Images

Moments later, Sanchez burst in at the other end following a long ball down the middle, but the Chilean also failed to trouble Silvio Proto.

In the second half, Arsenal upped their tempo in a bid to break the deadlock as Cazorla's whipped free kick in the 51st minute was met by the toe of Sanchez, but the Anderlecht keeper was able to save.

The 65th minute saw the Chilean once again pulled the string as he threaded a ball through to Cazorla, but Proto once again thwarted the Gunners with a good save.

Anderlecht's midfielder from Honduras Andy Najar celebrates after scoring during a UEFA Champions League group stage football match Anderlecht vs Arsenal at the Constant Vanden Stock stadium in Anderlecht on October 22, 2014 © Getty Images

Arsenal would seemingly come to rue all their missed opportunities, because just six minutes later, Andy Najar struck a header past Martinez to give his side the lead.

The Belgian outfit then put the Gunners to the sword in the final 10 minutes, bearing down on goal and threatening to extend their lead.

In the dying stages of the game, however, Kieran Gibbs found himself in front of goal before volleying a Calum Chambers cross into the net to pull his side back into the game.

Arsenal weren't done yet, because in injury time, Sanchez's ball to Lukas Podolski in the box resulted in the German firing home to snatch all three points, much to the agony of the home crowd.