Key Events So Far
- Arsenal 1-0 Ludogorets: Sanchez wondergoal
- Coquelin returns for Arsenal
Stammers chimes in from the Emirates
Stephen Stammers:
Arsenal need that second goal - badly. Virgil Misidjan foiled by an ever-busier Ospina as Ludogorets look increasingly dangerous on the break
Moments later It’s Arsenal on the attack and a wonderful ball from Coquelin finds Theo Walcott onside and with a clear sight of goal in the right-hand corner of the penalty area.
But the in-form winger goes near post and it’s well saved by Stoyanov for the corner which comes to nothing.
Off the post for Ludogorets!
So close to an equaliser for Ludogorets.
The Bulgarians have really hit back after going behind and this time Misidjan’s pace lead to the ball ricocheting out to Wanderson on the edge of the box.
The Brazilian’s effort took a slight deflection before clipping the post with Ospina well beaten.
End to end stuff
Excellent from David Ospina there.
Again it was pace which caused the danger. A perfect ball in behind beat Mustafi and Misidjan was one on one with the Colombian keeper.
But Ospina was lightening quick of the line to dive at his feet as the ball trickled away to safety.
Arsenal immediately went up the other end and Oxlade-Chamberlain tried to square the ball to Walcott who would have had an easy finish but his cross was too far ahead of the on-form winger.
Here’s how Sanchez scored the opener:
Stammers checks in from the Emirates
Stephen Stammers:
David Ospina called into action as he smothers a shot from Cafu. Ludpgorets anything but demoralised at going behind. They break wih a pace and purpose.
At the other end Mesut Ozil is given time and space on the edge of the box but a last ditch diving defender manages to get in the way of the German’s shot.
26 minutes played.
Cafu threatening
Ludogorets threatened again there with Cafu’s pace showing on the break.
The Brazilian managed to nudge the ball past Ospina but he was forced wide and off balance, with the Arsenal goalkeeper seizing on his weak pull-back.
Mustafi and Koscielny will have to be on alert though.
Ospina forced into first save
Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked very sharp down the left-hand side as he tried to stake a claim for Alex Iwobi’s place.
Ludogorets forced the first save from Ospina there with Wanderson hitting a shot well from the angle.
The Chilean got two strong hands to it, no rust from the no.2 goalkeeper.
Here’s a look at Alexis Sanchez’s celebrations from that sensational opener. 21 minutes played.
16 minutes gone, Arsenal deservedly lead
That goal was coming with Arsenal opening the Bulgarian champions up twice just moments before.
Sanchez had the first chance when he was released but cut inside two defenders before his shot was blocked.
It was then Oxlade-Chamberlain’s turn as he was one-on-one with Stoyanov from a tight angle but his effort was blocked for a corner.
Stammers checks in from the Emirates
Stephen Stammers:
Ludogorets started brightly enough - but Arsenal look to have more edge. And Alexis Sanchez illustrated it perfectly with a superb chip over the Bulgarians’ man-mountain goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov in the 14th minute. Great goal.
Arsenal 1-0 Ludogorets: Sanchez wondergoal
Alexis Sanchez scores an audacious chip to make it 1-0.
Oxlade Chamberlain feeds him down the line and the Chilean shows great composure to but the defender on his bum before dining the ball inch-perfect over the goalkeeper.
The awareness there was world-class, Lionel Messi-esque.
Great chance for Walcott
Sanchez was found Walcott in acres of space and after a failed tackle was one-on-one just 10 yards from goal.
The in-form winger showed lack of confidence though as he tried to square the ball to a screaming Sanchez.
It’s cleared away and Walcott may regret not going alone. 10 minutes played
Arsenal pressure
Mustafi has been looking for big long balls towards Sanchez and Oxlade-Chamberlain early on here, and Ludogorets have looked uncomfortable.
Hector Bellerin was found in acres of space down the right there but his low cross which reached the penalty spot was cleared away.
Walcott is the next to cross from the right-hand side moments later but it’s just too high for Sanchez and Oxlade-Chamberlain in the middle.
First Arsenal attack
Arsenal threaten for the first time as Koscielny manages to thread a lovely through ball to find Ozil on the left-hand side of the box.
The German’s cross though is gathered up easily by Stoyanov with Walcott arriving at the far post.
The visitors were opened up far too easily though. Five minutes played.
Promising start for Ludogorets
Immediately Ludogorets threatening with the ball over the top to Cafu.
Beautiful interplay from a throw between Natanael and Marcelino then almost exposes Arsenal.
The Bulgarian champions have had all the ball in the opening 90 seconds.
We're underway
Arsenal kick-off and the clock is running now in North London.
Can Arsenal take control of the group with a dominant victory tonight.
We’ll see.
Chance for the Ox to prove a point?
MirrorSport’s Stephen Stammers at the Emirates:
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain goes on Goals on Sunday. Says he wants to play more and four days later is in the team. Power of television maybe.
The teams are out on the pitch now and the Champions League music is playing.
We’ll be kicking off in about two minutes.
Can Ludogorets serve up a surprise... we’re about to find out.
Nothing to lose
Ludogorets have nothing to lose tonight and the fans look to be enjoying themselves.
Some of the travelling Bulgarians posed for pictures with Arsenal mascot Gunnersaurus as they drank in the spectacular stadium in North London.
We’re just a little over five minutes from kick-off.
Wenger pre-match comments
Arsene Wenger on Ludogorets:
It’s a team who is very physical. I watched the game at Basel and they made it very physical. They’re very good on the break with four or five Brazilian players who are good one against one... sometimes we open ourselves up in attacking too much.
On changes:
I rotate a little bit without destroying the balance of the team. I believe Oxlade-Chamberlain is in good form and Monreal has played all the games since the start (so he is rested).
Solid pairing
Unsurprisingly Arsene Wenger has stuck with his trusty centre back pairing of Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny.
They’ve been crucial to the Gunners’ 10-game unbeaten run and despite changing his goalkeeper and left back Wenger knows how important winning the group could be to progressing beyond the last 16.
Mustafi looked confident of another victory as he arrived at the Emirates earlier.
Wenger on Walcott's form
Theo Walcott’s upturn in form is down to the England forward letting “his heart feelings come out”, according to Arsene Wenger.
The 27-year-old was left out of England’s Euro 2016 squad after a woeful start to the year. But Walcott has scored seven goals in 12 games this season, and has already equalled his league tally from the previous campaign.
The former Southampton graduate is almost unrecognisable from the man who drifted in and (mainly) out of games 12 months ago - and Wenger believes it is all down to his mentality.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League meeting with Ludogorets, Wenger said: “He lets the passion come out of his body. He plays with more freedom, lets his heart feelings come out.
More HERE.
Ludogrets line-up
And here’s the Ludogorets XI: Stoyanov, Palomino, Natanael, Abel, Dyakov, Cafu, Minev, Moti, Marcelinho, Wanderson, Misidjan
Subs: Borjan, Cicinho, Sasha, Quixada, Keseru, Plastun, Lukoki
Four changes for Arsenal
So the big team news for Arsenal is that Coquelin replaces Xhaka on his return from injury. Other changes include Ospina in for Cech, Gibbs in for Monreal and Oxlade-Chamberlain in for Iwobi.
No news on Ludogorets line-up yet.
Coquelin returns for Arsenal
Arsenal XI: Ospina, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Cazorla, Walcott, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanchez
Subs: Cech, Gabriel, Monreal, Xhaka, Elneny, Iwobi, Lucas
Hoddle: Sanchez will drive Gunners to victory
Arsenal will be looking to gain back to back victories in the Champions League on Wednesday night with a home win over Bulgarian side Ludogorets.
Arsene Wenger’ s men started off their European campaign with a 1-1 away draw to PSG, but comfortably swept aside Basel next time out.
Glenn Hoddle believes that Ludogorets will pose no problem for the Gunners while Arsenal have Alexis Sanchez leading the line.
The Chilean has hit decent form this season and has scored five from six appearences. In the video above, Hoddle explains why Arsenal’s number seven is back to his best
More HERE.
Greetings
Good evening.
Ready for another night of Champions League action?
Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Arsenal’s clash with Ludogorets at the Emirates.
Arsene Wenger’s men have been in scintillating form of late, winning their last six matches in all competitions.
In fact, the only game they haven’t won in their last nine came in the draw with PSG.
A win over the Bulgarian side will all but send the Gunners through with three matches to go.
That won’t be enough for Arsene Wenger though, who will be desperate to finish top of the group to avoid another last-16 exit.
We will have all the build-up, team news and much more throughout the evening so stay tuned.
Let’s do this!
