Arsenal 2 - 0 Lokomotiv Moscow

Arsenal 2-0 Lokomotiv Moscow

Updated: December 10, 2003, 10:04 PM UK

Arsenal completed a remarkable transformation from apparent Champions League no-hopers to group winners in just a month as they qualified for the knock-out stages courtesy of a 2-0 win over Spartak Moscow.

The Gunners were on the brink of elimination just a few weeks earlier but now join Chelsea and Manchester United in the last 16.

Robert Pires handed them the lead after just 13 minutes and the Russian side, who had Jacob Lekcetho sent off before half-time, were never allowed back into contention from then on.

When Freddie Ljungberg put Arsenal further ahead with 23 minutes left, the result was beyond any doubt and Arsenal's escape act was complete.

And what an escape act it was. For it is the scale of the renaissance in their fortunes which has been so staggering.

Arsenal were bottom of the group with just one point after three games and in need of a miracle.

With just two minutes to go in their fourth fixture, at home to Dynamo Kiev, they were still on their way out before Ashley Cole struck in the nick of time.

That proved the turning point and the 5-1 success away to Inter Milan revived self-belief to such a level that this match became something of a procession.

Lokomotiv may have started the evening as group leaders but they looked every inch a side whose domestic league ended five weeks ago, lacking spark in midfield and far too cumbersome in defence.

Then again, the real twist in the tail came with the news that Dynamo had equalised at home to Inter and Lokomotiv were therefore still through as runners-up.

Arsenal nevertheless were already home and dry, and while Pires and Ljungberg scored the goals, it was Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira who returned from injury to inspire.

Any question-marks over Henry's fitness were dispelled within the first few minutes as the Frenchman appeared a picture of health.

It was his determination to harry the Lokomotiv defence into a mistake that ensured he was onto the ball in a flash when the visitors dithered.

He looked up before stroking his pass into the path of the roaming Pires, who rifled his shot inside the near post to change the entire complexion of the tie.

Now the onus was on Lokomotiv but they seemed strangely unaware that they had fallen behind.

They doggedly persisted with their conservative tactics, with Mikheil Ashvetia, the lone striker, looking not just isolated but practically forgotten about.

That suited Arsenal just fine and, while they had to remain alert to any counter-attacks, they dominated possession and picked their moment to threaten.

When Dennis Bergkamp flicked on Ljungberg's lofted pass, Henry cut inside defender Dmitri Sennikov before curling an effort narrowly past the far post.

Henry then forced goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov to parry his free-kick, only for Vieira to blast the rebound over.

Arsenal's task became even more straightforward on the stroke of half-time as Lekcetho was dismissed for his second bookable offence as he scythed down Ljungberg.

Lokomotiv made a double half-time substitution but, partly through necessity and partly through the apparent lack of a Plan B, they continued to hand the initiative to Arsenal.

Kolo Toure let fly with a thunderous 20-yard drive that Ovchinnikov stretched to tip over but the Ivorian squandered an even better opening when he ballooned an effort over from eight yards out.

Vieira and Ljungberg also threatened with long-range efforts, while Bergkamp rose unmarked to meet Ashley Cole's cross but headed wide.

However, the failure to score the decisive second goal ensured a handful of nervous moments, with Jens Lehmann blocking an effort from substitute Winston Parks at the near post.

Those fears were nevertheless allayed with 23 minutes left, when Ljungberg sealed victory.

This time, it was Vieira who showed the determination to win back possession and after the ball had been transferred to Henry via Bergkamp, the Frenchman flicked it into the path of the Swede.

Ljungberg beat Ovchinnikov to the ball with a surge of pace and managed to lift his shot over the goalkeeper.

Surely now Lokomotiv would have to come alive. Dmitri Khokhlov tried his luck from long range but Lehmann was equal to it and Arsenal were through.

What a difference a month makes. For Arsenal, with a new stadium to fund, this was truly a night in which they arrived at the Champions League crossroads and took a decisive turn in the right direction.