Young Gunners slip and Olympiakos go through

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-12-11 10:06

PIRAEUS, Greece: Arsenal's young guns failed to fire on Wednesday as they slipped to a solitary goal defeat at Olympiakos in their final Champions League Group H pool encounter to take the Greeks through.

Young Gunners slip and Olympiakos go through

Having already wrapped up the group in taking 13 points from their opening five matches, Gunners' coach Arsene Wenger sent out a clutch of 10 teenagers as well as fit-again Theo Walcott, a comparative veteran at 20.

The 'Gooner babes' included 18-year-old debutant Thomas Cruise, Jack Wilshire, Kyle Bartley, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Francis Coquelin as Wenger pinned youthful colors to the mast, resting established names such as Cesc Fabregas.

In contrast to their English Premiership visitors, Olympiakos (whose players pictured), missing injured English forward Matt Derbyshire, had to go all out for a third home win in chasing the runners-up spot and keep Standard Liege at bay in the battle for a spot in the last 16.

Needing a point to stay ahead of the Belgians, the Greek champions, coached by Brazilian Zico, welcomed back fit-again defenders Leonardo and Avraam Papadopoulos.

And after a first half of tentative sparring - Walcott going close in the 10th minute after good work by Alexandre Song - the hosts stepped up the pressure to take the lead just two minutes after the restart, Leonardo firing home left-footed past Gunners' keeper Lukas Fabianski.

Fabianski had earlier done well to smother a rare effort on target from Konstantinos Mitroglou.

Having got their noses in front, the Greeks, with 10 points effectively in their pockets, were able to relax and Arsenal thereafter kept to damage limitation - not that that worried Wenger unduly after an opportunity to give so many fringe players a European run-out.

"We had a positive attitude - they tried to catch us on the break but it was down to a lack of experience not quality," Wengersaid.

"I am happy with the performance," he said.

Zico said his team had gone all out for victory from the opening minute.

"It's a major achievement for this team when you consider we have suffered major injuries along the way so we have exceeded expectations by qualifying for the next round," he said.

"I have no preference as to which team we get in the next round and I'm sure the other teams will not want to be drawn against Olympiakos either. If they do, they are making a mistake."

AFP/Reuters