Agency :
Olivier Giroud scored late in the second half for Arsenal to maintain its perfect Europa League campaign with a 1-0 win over 10-man Red Star Belgrade on Thursday.
Five minutes after Milan Rodic was sent off for a second yellow card, Giroud struck with an overhead kick five minutes before the final whistle after Theo Walcott headed the ball to him.
“It was a great combination before the goal as well and he finished well,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
Arsenal opened a five-point lead in Group H with nine points. Red Star and BATE Borisov, which beat visiting Cologne 1-0, are on four. Cologne is bottom without a point.
Milan was held 0-0 at home by Greek team AEK in Group D, and Everton’s campaign suffered another blow after a 2-1 loss at home to Lyon in Group E.
With several young players, including Reiss Nelson, Joseph Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, the Gunners didn’t look dangerous until Giroud’s goal.
Richmond Boakye headed the ball onto the crossbar in the biggest chance for Red Star.
Everton is 16th in the 20-team English Premier League and is still without a win in three Europa League group matches this season.
Nabil Fekir converted a penalty kick six minutes into the match for Lyon after Mason Holgate downed Marcal in the area.
Players of both teams briefly clashed after a hard push from Everton captain Ashley Williams on Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes. Everton could face punishment from UEFA after a fan holding a child appeared to aim a punch at a Lyon player during the second-half melee at Goodison Park which continued off the pitch and in front of the Howard Kendall Gwladys Street End.
Just minutes later, Williams seemed to come to Everton’s rescue with a 69th-minute header. But Lyon needed just six minutes to answer with Bertrand Traore restoring the advantage to 2-1.
Olivier Giroud scored late in the second half for Arsenal to maintain its perfect Europa League campaign with a 1-0 win over 10-man Red Star Belgrade on Thursday.
Five minutes after Milan Rodic was sent off for a second yellow card, Giroud struck with an overhead kick five minutes before the final whistle after Theo Walcott headed the ball to him.
“It was a great combination before the goal as well and he finished well,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
Arsenal opened a five-point lead in Group H with nine points. Red Star and BATE Borisov, which beat visiting Cologne 1-0, are on four. Cologne is bottom without a point.
Milan was held 0-0 at home by Greek team AEK in Group D, and Everton’s campaign suffered another blow after a 2-1 loss at home to Lyon in Group E.
With several young players, including Reiss Nelson, Joseph Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, the Gunners didn’t look dangerous until Giroud’s goal.
Richmond Boakye headed the ball onto the crossbar in the biggest chance for Red Star.
Everton is 16th in the 20-team English Premier League and is still without a win in three Europa League group matches this season.
Nabil Fekir converted a penalty kick six minutes into the match for Lyon after Mason Holgate downed Marcal in the area.
Players of both teams briefly clashed after a hard push from Everton captain Ashley Williams on Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes. Everton could face punishment from UEFA after a fan holding a child appeared to aim a punch at a Lyon player during the second-half melee at Goodison Park which continued off the pitch and in front of the Howard Kendall Gwladys Street End.
Just minutes later, Williams seemed to come to Everton’s rescue with a 69th-minute header. But Lyon needed just six minutes to answer with Bertrand Traore restoring the advantage to 2-1.
