World-class Cech offers Arsenal Champions League lifeline

The goalkeeper made some superb saves as the Gunners sensationally beat Bayern Munich 2-0 on Tuesday night to keep alive their hopes of progression into the knockout rounds

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COMMENT By Greg Stobart at Emirates Stadium

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If there is one thing that Arsene Wenger has mastered over the last decade, it's the great escape.

So many times, Arsenal have dragged themselves to a top-four finish in the Premier League when it looked beyond them.

Now the Champions League comeback is truly on and it would perhaps be the most remarkable of them all.

Arsenal bounced back from defeats in their first two Champions League group games to beat Bayern Munich 2-0 on Tuesday night and keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages.

Wenger described this as a must-win game and his side produced when he needed them.



So too did Petr Cech. While the goals were scored by Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil, it was the goalkeeper's name that was on the lips of the jubilant fans in the Clock End after the game.

Just as David Ospina so dearly cost the Gunners against Olympiakos, Cech saved them here with a string of remarkable saves, the best of which denied Robert Lewandowski when the Bayern striker was through on goal 15 minutes from time. It was undoubtedly the turning point of the night as, two minutes later, Arsenal took an unlikely lead.

On a night when Arsenal were always going to need a slice of luck, they got it as Giroud scored with a combination of hand and face in the 77th minute before Ozil's goal in the dying seconds was awarded by the extra official after it just crept over the line.

Giroud's last four goals in all competitions have been as a substitute and he is now pushing to win back his place in Wenger's first-choice starting XI.

Ozil, for his part, has been accused of not stepping up in the big games but scored the clincher against the champions of his home nation.







The gameplan went perfectly for Arsenal and Wenger as the Gunners manager finally showed that he is capable of putting out his side with the tactical nous to beat the biggest and best opponents.

The hosts conceded possession to Bayern and were happy to defend deep before striking on the counter-attack.

Pep Guardiola's side created few chances despite having 73 per cent possession - and, when they did get through the Arsenal defence, Cech was there to stop them.

At the other end, Arsenal constantly threatened on the counter. They would have been ahead at half-time if it had not been for a stunning save by Manuel Neuer to keep out Theo Walcott's close-range header.

But Neuer undid his good work when he missed a kamikaze attempted punch and allowed Giroud to score the hosts' first goal.

Cech had no such problems as he produced a goalkeeping masterclass.