Arsenal hopes under threat at break

Dynamo Kiev 1 Arsenal 0

Arsenal’s Champions League hopes were under serious threat in Kiev as they conceded a first-half strike to Dynamo in a game they simply could not afford to lose.

Although Robert Pires struck the crossbar early on, Arsenal – missing the guiding influence of Patrick Vieira – went behind on 27 minutes as Maksim Shatskikh punished some hesitant defending, albeit amid a suspicion of offside.

Arsenal continued to press, and an excellent move in which Lauren exchanged passes with both Henry and Pires ended with the full-back’s shot deflected just past the post.

Fortune has never seemed to favour Arsenal in the Champions League, however, and so it proved again as Dynamo seized the lead amid a suspicion of offside after 27 minutes.

Edu was guilty of dithering as he failed to cut out a loose ball, and when Jerko Leko’s shot deflected off the heel of Shatskikh and then back to him off a defender it looked as though the Dynamo striker had been marginally offside before burying his shot past the exposed figure of Lehmann.

Henry threatened briefly at the other end, while Toure just failed to connect with a corner. But Arsenal were back under pressure as Cole had to clear a dangerous cross and then Lehmann tipped over a drive from Tiberiu Ghioane.