Arsenal crush Lens 6-0 to reach Champions League last 16
November 29, LONDON (Reuters) - On a chilly Wednesday night at The Emirates, Arsenal easily defeated RC Lens 6-0 thanks to goals from six different players, securing their spot in the round of 16 and topping Group B.
Kai Havertz, the home team's late-game hero against Brentford on Saturday, gave the home team the lead with a scrappy goal in the 13th minute. Gabriel Jesus then doubled the lead by sidestepping two players and burying his shot in the corner.
In the 23rd minute, Bukayo Saka scored his third goal by hauling in a ball that was badly parried by Gabriel Martinelli. Four minutes later, Martinelli twisted the blade again with a curling drive that left Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba diving for nothing.
Play was momentarily stopped when some of Lens's angry traveling supporters started setting off flares.
With the final kick of the first half, Gunners captain Martin Odegaard upped the score to five by volleying in a long cross from Takehiro Tomiyasu, who was speeding down the right side.
Following a scoreless second half, Abdukodir Khusanov of Lens stuck out an arm in his own area in the 85th minute, earning Arsenal a penalty following a VAR review. Jorginho, an injury substitute for Arsenal, then finished the game from the spot to end the night horribly for the visitors. (Writing under Hugh Lawson) By Toby Davis, editor