Arsenal managed to scrape past Besiktas on a 1-0 scoreline and make it to the Champions League group stage, but as was the case in the first leg, things were tough for Arsenal who ended the game with 10 men, after the sending off of Mathieu Debuchy.
The first-half was a rather dull affair without any major chances. However, Arsenal always looked like creating chances down the right hand side with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain posing as a major threat. The best chance of the half fell to Jack Wilshere but the England international's shot flew just past the post. Besiktas found their way into the Arsenal half on numerous occasions, and the defence were forced into a number of last ditch challenges. The tie changed, however, in first-half injury time as the Gunners broke away and the ball found its way to Chilean striker, Alexis Sanchez, who slid home the goal to give Arsenal the lead on the night but more importantly the lead on aggregate.
The second-half was a much more open one, as both sides played attacking football. Arsenal were looking for a second while Besiktas were looking for an away goal that would send them through. The Black Eagles always looked a threat but could not find a way past a resilient Arsenal defense with Debuchy playing really well.
However, it was the Frenchman who put his team under serious pressure as he received his marching orders for a rather dubious decision, but he had to go following a first-half yellow for a silly challenge. The right-back was brought in from Newcastle this summer to replace the departing Sagna, the 29-year-old will feel he didn't do too much wrong though. The first booking came a quarter of an hour into the game, when his leap for the ball was deemed to be dangerous by the Portuguese referee. This was followed up by a synical shirt pull on the half-way line in the closing exchanges. Wenger acted immediately, replacing record signing Mesut Ozil with impressive youngster Calum Chambers. Besiktas began to press for an equalizer and were forcing their way through but could not create any chances until the very end when a ball was swung into Demba Ba, who was agonizingly inches away from making contact with the ball.
It was to be Arsenal’s night as they made it through to a 17th consecutive group stage after a 0-0 last week in Turkey and their win tonight. The draw for the Champions League takes place tomorrow so Arsenal don’t have to wait long to see who awaits them in the group stage