Mesut Ozil strikes late as Arsenal reach last 16 once again

Ludogorets 2 Arsenal 3: A late Mesut Ozil strike saw Arsenal come from two goals behind to beat Ludogorets and secure their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

With Group A rivals Paris St Germain beating Basle in Switzerland, a win for the Gunners would be enough to see them through with two games to spare — and Ozil popped up with three minutes remaining to complete a 3-2 win, which had looked improbable following a shaky start to proceedings at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia.

Ludogorets were two goals ahead inside the opening 15 minutes as Jonathan Cafu and Claudiu Keseru struck — but a first Champions League goal for Granit Xhaka, and a header from Olivier Giroud before the break, had Arsenal level, and Ozil’s late heroics mean they have qualified from the opening group stage for a 17th consecutive season.