Fabregas fires Gunners to victory

A SECOND-HALF brace from Cesc Fabregas sent Arsenal on their way towards the lucrative group stages of the Champions League as the Gunners recorded a resounding 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb in their qualifier last night.

Last season’s beaten finalists may have been missing the likes of inspirational captain Thierry Henry, wantaway defender Ashley Cole and had Real Madrid target Jose Antonio Reyes sitting on the bench, but the Gunners again showed their strength in depth.

Fabregas and Robin van Persie smashed in two goals in as many minutes just after the hour, before the young Spaniard wrapped things up with another fine effort late on in his 100th game for Arsenal.

The atmosphere in the sold-out Maksimir Stadium had been electric as Arsene Wenger’s makeshift side took to the field on a warm late summer’s evening in the Croatian capital.

Arsenal, however, settled quickly, with van Persie looking lively.

Vedran Corluka tripped Fabregas on the edge of the box in the seventh minute.

Dutchman van Persie struck the free-kick but the ball flew high over the crossbar.

Dinamo were a threat on the break themselves.

After good work down the right, Luka Modric fired wide after the ball was cut back into the six-yard box.

Summer signing Tomas Rosicky made his competitive debut on the flank in place of Reyes, whose future at Arsenal remains the subject of much debate.

On 12 minutes, the Czech midfielder — who netted a couple of fine efforts at the World Cup — cut inside to fashion an opening but could only drill a low shot off target.

Emmanuel Eboue got forward down the right flank following good work from Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, and the youngster flashed a low centre across goal.

In the 20th minute, Manuel Almunia — in for the suspended Jens Lehmann — safely collected a 22-yard effort from advancing defender Marijan Buljat.

Adebayor was showing some good touches, and he went close on the half-hour, stabbing the ball just wide from the edge of the box.

Dinamo were counter-attacking well, but lacked a final ball to unlock the Arsenal defence.

At the other end, the ball found its way from the right through to Adebayor at the far post, but this time the Gunners frontman could not make good contact.

Almunia was sent scrambling across his goal after 39 minutes when the attack-minded Buljat flashed another long-range effort just wide.

Hleb then fed van Persie in the Dinamo area, but the Dutchman’s shot lacked venom.

At the start of the second half, the hosts should have been ahead.

Buljat got to the byline and cut a pass back into the six-yard area.

However, substitute Jasmin Agic got his timing all wrong and glanced a tame header wide when he ought to have powered the ball into the net.

Arsenal slowly started to build some pressure of their own.

Van Persie’s shot on the turn brought a good stop down to his right from Ivan Turina.

With the return leg at the new 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium to come in a fortnight, it was imperative Arsenal made sure of a defendable result here.

And as the hour mark passed, it was the Gunners who stepped up the tempo. On 63 minutes, Arsenal were ahead.

Van Persie collected a pass from the right, and slipped in Fabregas, who made no mistake, drilling a low strike into the bottom corner.

The Spanish midfielder ran off in celebration towards the bench, and exchanged a hug with compatriot Reyes.

Before Dinamo could recover, it was 2-0. Hleb sent a perfectly-weighted ball forward, which van Persie collected and he drove a low shot past Turina, who got a hand on the ball but could not stop it arrowing into the left-hand corner.

Any thoughts of complacency were soon wiped out when Johan Djourou produced a brilliant saving tackle to deny Eduardo da Silva.

Almunia saved smartly from Modric, but Arsenal made sure of a convincing win 11 minutes from time.

Fabregas collected a pass from Hleb, and jinked his way into the area before slotting the ball into the far corner.

DINAMO ZAGREB: Turina, Buljat, Cale, Nowotny, Corluka, Cvitanovic, Carlos, Modric, Eduardo, Mamic, Vugrinec.

ARSENAL: Almunia, Eboue, Hoyte, Toure, Djourou, Hleb, Fabregas, Silva, Rosicky (Flamini 82), Adebayor (Aliadiere 82), Van Persie.

Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece).