Arsenal score three in seven minutes to beat Lille in Champions League

Arsenal scored three goals in seven second-half minutes to beat Lille at Emirates Stadium and maintain their perfect start to the Champions League league phase, BBC Sport reported. Defender Jurrien Timber opened the scoring in the 64th minute, lifting a clever finish over Berke Ozer after collecting a pass from Noni Madueke.

Eberechi Eze added the second three minutes later, finishing first time from substitute Bukayo Saka’s cross. Saka then rolled in the third in the 71st minute. Arsenal had struggled in a laboured first half, with the frontline of Eze, Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres failing to click, but manager Mikel Arteta resisted wholesale changes at the break.

Arteta had made five changes from the side that beat Leeds 2-1 in the Premier League at the weekend. Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard all played major roles after coming on. Arsenal, who won at Napoli, won all eight league phase games last season before losing the final to Paris St-Germain.