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Basel
Champions League | Group Stage
Dec 6, 2016 at 7.45pm UK
 
Arsenal logo

1-4

Doumbia (78')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Perez (8', 16', 47'), Iwobi (53')

Arsenal top Group A after Lucas Perez treble against Basel

Arsenal top group after Lucas Perez treble
© SilverHub
Arsenal finish in first place in Group A after a hat-trick from Lucas Perez helps earn the Gunners a 4-1 win over Basel.

A hat-trick from Lucas Perez has helped Arsenal to a 4-1 victory over Basel in the Champions League, a result which sees the Gunners finish in top spot in Group A.

Perez netted his treble inside the opening 47 minutes and after Alex Iwobi added a fourth, the Premier League outfit were able to see out a win which moves them above Paris Saint-Germain, who could only draw at home to Ludogorets Razgrad.

Both teams started quietly at St Jakob-Park, but it did not take long for Arsenal to take the lead in fine style as Perez notched his first goal for the Gunners in this competition.

An Alexis Sanchez pass over the top of the defence found Kieran Gibbs, who played the ball across the six-yard box for the Spaniard to tap home into an empty net.

Just after the quarter-hour mark, the Gunners made it 2-0 in similar circumstances with Gibbs's shot being parried by goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik before Perez slotted home from no more than five yards.

Basel almost hit straight back with Adama Traore's left-footed strike just missing the far post, but the home side failed to maintain a threat in the final third until the closing minutes of the first half.

Renato Steffen had been lively for Basel and he was able to force David Ospina into a fine save after cutting in from the right flank, before Matias Delgado should have done better with a header from inside the penalty area.

Arsenal effectively wrapped up the match within two minutes of the second half getting underway as Gibbs's pass was diverted into the path of Perez by Sanchez, and the Spaniard was able to send his shot into the bottom corner to wrap up his treble.

Marc Janko should have got Basel back into the contest shortly afterwards but he glanced his header wide of the post, and Arsenal soon capitalised on that near miss by advancing up the pitch to net a fourth.

Sanchez's pass through to Ozil was sublime, and his teammate followed suit by gifting Iwobi the chance to net from no more than eight yards out.

To their credit, Basel continued to look for what would be a consolation goal but it was Arsenal who came close again through Sanchez, who struck the underside of the crossbar with a 25-yard free kick which completely deceived Vaclik.

That would prove to be Sanchez's last act as he, Aaron Ramsey and Ozil were given a rest but with 12 minutes left, Basel were able to get on the scoresheet when Seydou Doumbia flicked past Ospina after a mistake by Rob Holding.

The final minutes were played out with little action inside either final third and Arsenal were left to celebrate claiming first place after a huge helping hand from the group minnows in Paris.

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Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil in action during his side's Champions League clash with Ludogorets Razgrad at the Emirates Stadium on October 19, 2016
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