Shaky Arsenal survive fightback

● Gunners profit from hosts’ poor organisation and stay on course for knockout phase

An under-strength Arsenal survived a late fightback by BATE Borisov to secure a win that keeps them on course for Europa League progress.

In a game of little quality beyond the superb Jack Wilshere, goals by the recalled trio of Theo Walcott, Rob Holding and Olivier Giroud – with his 100th Gunners goal – sealed all three points at the Borisov Arena in Belarus as much as David Ospina’s goalkeeping.

Manager Arsene Wenger had retained only Mohamed Elneny and Skodran Mustafi from the team which defeated West Brom 2-0 on Monday, giving rare starts to Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitlandniles, while Joseph Willock made his senior debut.

It was the experienced defence of Per Mertesacker, Mustafi and Holding which nevertheless proved consistently vulnerable, but with Ospina impressive and BATE so disorganised, Arsenal were left top of Group H with the maximum six points from their two openers.

Play had yet to develop

0 Theo Walcott gives Arsenal an early lead in their 4-2 Europa League victory over BATE Borisov in Belarus last night. any sort of pattern when Wilshere’s through ball sent Walcott clear. The forward struck the post when shooting with the outside of his right foot, retrieved the rebound, and then saw his next effort blocked.

Almost immediately, Wilshere played a one-two with Giroud to beat three defenders then crossed to Walcott who, after watching Denis Scherbitski save his header, routinely finished the rebound.

The erratic hosts did not pose any threat until Igor Stasevich broke down the left and Mertesacker unconvincingly cleared his cross to the edge of the area, where Mirko Ivanic struck well on the bounce but sent his effort just beyond the left post. If that appeared any sort of platform to build upon, it swiftly meant little when, in the 22nd minute, BATE goalkeeper Scherbitski sloppily passed under minimal pressure to Walcott, gifting him a closerange chance from which he scored.

Another masterful through ball from Wilshere had put Maitland-niles in before his cross was cleared for a 25thminute corner, when again BATE too easily conceded.

Holding had been near-static in front of goal when Walcott’s delivery was nodded on by Mertesacker and it struck his shin and went inside the near, left post.

Only three minutes later, from Aleksei Rios’ cross from the right wing, the free Ivanic sent a powerful header looping beyond Ospina and into the roof of the net.

For a period, Arsenal remained uncertain but, by half-time, Walcott had been denied his hat-trick by Scherbitski, and Holding had struck the post with another closerange effort, again exposing BATE’S vulnerabilities.

The Gunners were perhaps lucky three minutes into the second half when Stanislav Dragun conceded a penalty for a tug on Mustafi’s shirt.

From it, the largely-quiet Giroud, pictured, scored his 100th goal for the club, showing his composure to stroke into the bottom-left corner as Scherbtiski dived to the right.

Even then, owing partly to their inexperience and Wilshere’s advanced role when he could have offered direction from central midfield, Arsenal’s lack of shape gave their hosts further opportunities.

In the 68th minute, poor defending gifted Ivanic another header that tested Ospina and forced the goalkeeper to parry to Gordeichuk, who then struck from directly in front of goal.

Further nervy periods were to follow as Ospina produced further saves before – with Edward Nketiah given his debut from the bench – the visitors closed out victory.