O' Giroud - The Thunder

This was the night when Arsenal finally did, on a do-or-die Champions League occasion, when all of the hard-luck stories that have clung to their recent exits were overtaken by one that told of skill, savvy and cold-blooded professionalism.

They had needed a two-goal win to pip Olympiakos on the head-to-head tie-break, to dig themselves out of the hole of their own making in Group F, and the fear was that they might have left themselves with too much to do.

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiTXM1OAelA

But after an early wobble they asserted themselves at this imposing venue to power into the last 16 and prolong Arsène Wenger’s proud association with the knock-out phase. It is now 16 years in succession that he and Arsenal have reached the second round of Europe’s elite tournament.

Olivier Giroud was the hero and what a night he chose to score his first hat-trick for the club. The first was aided and abetted by the Olympiakos goalkeeper, Roberto; the second by the outstanding Joel Campbell and the third came from the penalty spot, following a harsh handball award against Omar Elabdellaoui.

Giroud suffered bumps and bruises, and he found his temperament tested. He was also booked for a second-half foul. But he fought from the first whistle, leading the line with character, and he deserved the ovation that he received from the 1,200 travelling fans when he was withdrawn in injury time.

There were plenty of other heroes including the goalkeeper Petr Cech who, not for the first time, produced a marvellous save when it mattered the most. He dived high to his right to repel Kostas Fortounis’ 58th-minute effort from outside the area with the score at 2-0.

The closing stages, after Giroud had sent Roberto the wrong way with the penalty, were blissfully tranquil from Arsenal’s point of view and, at last, they could enjoy themselves in this competition. But it had previously been an occasion of knife-edge tension which was played out in one of the most hostile atmospheres in European football.

Few people had given Arsenal a chance, and not only because of their habit of falling agonisingly short on these sort of nights. They had been sorely stretched by their injury problems and Olympiakos are no pushovers. When the Greek champions entered the bear pit, they had won all bar two of their matches in all competitions this season – the home and away Champions League ties against Bayern Munich. Wenger had spoken of needing “the greatest escape”.

To pull it off he knew that Arsenal had to score the opening goal, ideally as soon as possible. Only then would their hopes surge. They were second-best for the first 20 minutes but, crucially, they did not concede. And after Mathieu Flamini had rattled the crossbar with a shot that took a slight deflection off Manuel da Costa, following Campbell’s smart cut-back, they got what they wanted.

Aaron Ramsey escaped on the left and, when he crossed, Giroud had bought a few yards from his markers by dropping away from goal. He flexed his neck muscles and generated tremendous power in the header but Roberto still had to do better. He was slow to get down at his near post and the ball squirmed beneath him and in.

Roberto screamed up at the heavens and his anguish reflected that of David Ospina, the back-up Arsenal goalkeeper, after his nightmarish error from the first game between the teams at the Emirates, which Olympiakos won 3-2. For a couple of seconds, the home crowd fell silent and it really was the strangest sensation. Giroud wheeled away in delight. The comeback was on.

Olympiakos’ early pressure had seen them make inroads up the flanks but they did not create anything clear-cut. Fortounis was also booked for a lamentable dive under a non-challenge from Theo Walcott inside the area. And the home team felt the “fear factor” that Wenger had mentioned after Giroud’s first goal.

The belief seemed to drain from them; they began to look vulnerable but could Arsenal find the ruthlessness that had eluded them on recent occasions? They gave their answer during the second half.

It was Campbell’s moment of magic that helped to put Arsenal in charge of their qualification for pretty much the first time. He was an extremely popular player during his season-long loan at Olympiakos in 2013-14, but he floored them here.

Campbell’s control from Mesut Özil’s high ball was excellent but he had only just begun. One touch took him inside Dimitris Siovas and he then tricked away from Arthur Masuaku before weighting the perfect pass for Giroud, who could not miss from close range. He did not.

Olympiakos tried to rally. Da Costa headed straight at Cech and Fortounis fully extended the goalkeeper with a curler from outside the area. Cech’s agility was eye-catching. Brown Ideye also slipped when gloriously placed.

But Arsenal could reflect upon a Walcott effort that deflected wide before they made the game safe with the penalty. Olympiakos argued that Elabdellaoui’s back was turned when Nacho Monreal shot and he knew nothing about the hand-ball. Arsenal did not care.

Giroud’s showed composure from the spot to complete the hat-trick and Arsenal could begin to look forward to Monday’s draw for the knockout rounds.

Source- theGuardian...