Goals: Galatasaray—Sneijder 88'; Arsenal—Podolski 3’,Podolski 90'+ - Ramsey 11’,29’
Recap: Ninety minutes of comprehensive football saw Arsenal capture a 4-1 victory over Galatasaray on Tuesday.
It took all of three minutes for the visitors to exert their will in Istanbul, with a clinical finish from Lukas Podolski opening the affair. Aaron Ramsey would double the advantage just eight minutes later. The Welshman all but sealed the victory after smashing home a corner-kick on the full volley in the 29th minute.
The victory, however, was in vain. Borussia Dortmund advanced from the group as winners, forcing an unfavorable matchup on the Gunners in the Round of 16.
Key Moment: Key moments are few and far between in 4-1 undressings, but Ramsey’s second goal stands on its own merits. Masterful technique allowed the 23-year-old to keep Joel Campbell’s lost cross from landing in the heavens.
Man of the Match: He played just 45 minutes, but no player impacted the match greater than Ramsey. The Welsh international finished with two goals and an assist.
Lesson Learned: Podolski and Campbell deserve more Premier League chances. Entering the match, the duo had a combined zero starts and just 121 Premier League minutes between them. On Tuesday, both showed promise in Istanbul, influencing the attack. Rather than concern himself with the transfer window, the answer to Arsene Wenger’s problem is sitting on the bench.
Up Next: Both clubs return to league play on Dec. 13, with Galatasaray visiting Konyaspor and Arsenal hosting Newcastle United.
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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