Auxerre

This game took place at Auxerre, on Wednesday 2nd October at 7:45pm. Attendance was 21,000.

Final result was 1-0. Arsenal's goalscorer was Gilberto (46').

Here's the Arsenal.com report: "Last Wednesday in Eindhoven, Gilberto popped up at the far post after only 21 seconds to kick-start a fabulous 4-0 win. This Wednesday in Auxerre, our Brazilian midfielder scored a carbon copy goal at the start of the second half to secure another crucial victory. Although, the manner of this win was more hard-working than free-scoring, it is three points just the same and leaves us in the driving seat at the top of Champions League Group A. Three games, three wins, seven goals scored and none conceded. Before kick-off, Arsene Wenger suggested victory here would put us "90 per cent" of the way to Phase Two. With two home games remaining, it is hard to disagree. The manager opted to retain the line-up that started at Leeds. That meant Kolo Toure kept his place on the left side of midfield and Freddie Ljungberg stayed on the bench. For the record, only the two keepers - David Seaman and Fabien Cool - remained from the Cup-Winners Cup fixture between the sides in 1994-95. Chances were rare in first half with both defences in miserly moods during a goalless 45 minutes. The opening exchanges were cagey. It was like two boxers testing their opponents with jabs before starting to look for the knockout punch. The first half-chance arrived in the fifth minute when Thierry Henry spread the ball to Sylvain Wiltord on the right side of area and his fierce cross-shot was hacked clear from under the posts by Jean-Alain Boumsong. Even without the pace of the injured Djibril Cisse, Auxerre looked a threat up front but our defence, and Pascal Cygan in particular, looked in determined mood .The clearest opportunity of the opening quarter came when Kanu sent a rising shot just past the angle of post and bar. We continued to show more attacking inclination as the half went on but never managed to cut through the Auxerre backline. Henry tested Cool with a free-kick and Wiltord was denied a close-range header by the merest flick of a defender's head. At the other end, Benjani's tame shot on the turn was the best Auxerre could muster. Within two minutes of the restart, we were ahead and the goal bore a striking similarity to that incredible opener last week. Toure found himself free on the left of the area. He passed to Wiltord, who like Henry in Eindhoven a week earlier, spotted Gilberto sprinting towards the far post. The resulting finish was virtually identical too. The goal left Auxerre chasing the game, not the favoured ploy of a largely counter-attacking side. But the visitors had to re-adjust as well with Wenger replacing Henry with Jermaine Pennant and Toure for Edu just before the hour. The pair took up wide positions with Wiltord going up front. The Frenchman nearly made the most of his attacking straight by stretching Cool with a powerful near post header. Auxerre tried to turn up the heat towards the end and the tricky Benjani sent a rasping, rising drive rattling the Arsenal bar with eight minutes left. But their storm blew itself out and we deservedly held on. "