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Arsenal into knockout stages

02/11/2005

Arsenal survived some nervy second-half moments before sealing qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League by beating Sparta Prague 3-0 at Highbury.

A first half goal from Thierry Henry set Arsenal on their way before two goals in the final ten minutes from Robin van Persie guaranteed Arsenal's progression.

Arsenal started brightly in torrential rain and should have been ahead on 14 minutes.

Henry's through-ball found Dennis Bergkamp inside the area and after shifting the ball right to Robert Pires, the cut back found the Dutchman on the edge of the six yard box but he could only lash a left-foot shot against the bar.

However, the net was bulging nine minutes later as Gilberto and Jose Antonio Reyes attempted a one-two on the edge of the box before the ball broke to Henry and the Frenchman's exquisite curling shot beat Jaromir Blazek inside the right hand post.

Arsenal continued to press and Reyes' shot was kept out on 33 minutes by a wonderful save from the Czech goalkeeper.

The second half began with Arsenal in the ascendancy as first Bergkamp would have had scored if not for an unfortunate stumble then Henry's free-kick was kept out by another impressive save by Blasek.

The Highbury faithful were becoming concerned with only the one goal advantage as Sparta began to apply some pressure midway through the first half but substitute van Persie then wrapped up the game as he struck twice in four-and-a-half minutes.

First on 81 minutes, the young Dutchman looked to have wasted an opportunity created by Bergkamp as Sparta looked to have got cover back only for van Persie to curl a shot into the top corner from 20 yards.

Martin Petras then headed against the bar before van Persie grabbed a second as he dispatched Emmanuel Eboue's cut back.

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