Arsenal score three in seven minutes to beat Lille 3-0 as Giroud gets warm welcome
After a goalless first half, Timber, Eze and substitute Saka settled the game within seven minutes. Lille failed to register a shot on target, and former striker Giroud was applauded.
Symbolic image · Photo: Arne Müseler / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de (cropped and resized)
Arsenal made it two wins from two in the Champions League. It was 0-0 at halftime against Lille at the Emirates Stadium before Jurrien Timber scored in the 64th minute from Noni Madueke's pass, Eberechi Eze added a second three minutes later, and Bukayo Saka sealed it in the 71st, six minutes after coming on.
It was the first goal of the season for both Timber and Eze. According to Sky Sports, Lille did not have a shot on target, and Ayase Ueda had a goal ruled out for offside. Olivier Giroud, who scored 105 goals in six years at Arsenal, came on in the 78th minute to a warm reception. Arsenal have now won 14 straight league-phase games.
"It was a joy to watch the goals that we scored," said coach Mikel Arteta, who made five changes from the 2-1 win over Leeds. Lille coach Davide Ancelotti said his team found it difficult to keep up with Arsenal's rhythm after 60 minutes but said the score was too hard on his players: "They didn't deserve this score." Lille are still without a point after two games.