Arsenal suffered their second defeat in four days with a surprise 2-1 Champions League defeat at home to Auxerre this evening. The Frenchmen arrived at rainswept Highbury intent on taking the game to the Premiership champions, and deservedly held a two-goal cushion at the interval thanks to goals from Olivier Kapo and Khalilou Fadiga. Nwankwo Kanu pulled one back for The Gunners eight minutes into the second-half, but despite an improved performance and the second-half introduction of Footballer of the Year Robert Pires, Auxerre held firm to secure all three points, and consign Arsene Wenger's side to a second successive defeat following their Premiership reversal at Goodison on Saturday.
Auxerre served warning of their intentions in the opening five minutes when under-fire 'keeper David Seaman spilled the ball at the feet of Benjani as he threatened to rush through on goal, but Yann Lacheur could only shoot wastefully over the bar from 12 yards out. However, they did break the Arsenal rearguard just three minutes later when Kapo found space on the right after nutmegging Patrick Vieira before driving a powerful left-footed curler into the far corner.
At the other end, Kanu drilled one effort over the bar after a cut-back by Thierry Henry and then came even closer when he fired another shot inches wide from just outside the penalty area. However, Arsenal's defensive problems were magnified on 27 minutes as Seaman was beaten for a second time. Ashley Cole managed to stop Jean-Alain Boumsong's advance on the edge of the penalty area with a block tackle but the ball simply looped into the air. Seaman was caught in no man's land between trying to smother the ball and retreating to his line, while Fadiga simply took advantage by nipping in and nonchalantly lobbing his shot over the keeper's head.
Two goals behind at the break, The Gunners came out with renewed vigour and halved the deficit inside eight minutes when Thierry Henry raced clear down the right flank onto a ball from Lauren, before crossing unselfishly for Kanu to clip his shot over Cool. Auxerre should have restored a two-goal advantage soon afterwards only to pay the price of wild over-elaboration, with Kapo eventually denied by a fine save from Seaman.
With 19 minutes left, on came fit again Pires to replace Gilberto, slotting into a new central midfield role, but the expected inspiration and late comeback never quite materialised. Elsewhere in Group A, Borussia Dortmund were held to a 1-1 draw at home to PSV Eindhoven, which leaves Arsenal two points clear of the Germans with two games remaining.
Filed by Shane Murray
