Match ends, Arsenal 6, Lens 0.
Arsenal reached the Champions League knockouts as group winners by thumping Lens at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners scored five in a phenomenal first-half display as they reach the last 16 in their first appearance in the competition for seven years.
Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard all scored in the first half, before Jorginho added a late penalty.
Arsenal progress from Group B alongside PSV Eindhoven, with Lens out.
"I didn't even dream like this," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. "The team from the beginning showed a lot of aggression and determination to go for the game.
"Everything happened in the right way in the first 30 minutes. That was really helpful to win the game."
Havertz, brought into the starting XI after scoring the winner against Brentford at the weekend, opened the scoring on 13 minutes when Lens failed to clear a looping ball into the box. Jesus nodded across goal and Havertz showed a striker's instinct to finish from close range ahead of goalkeeper Brice Samba.
"Scoring goals, playing well, participating in wins - those are positive attributes," Arteta said of Havertz's performance. "You saw the reception of his team-mates and the crowd being with him, singing his name. He's a tremendous player."
Jesus turned scorer to slot the second past Samba from 15 yards, sweeping home after being set up by Saka's powerful run between defenders from the right.
Arsenal's attacking unit was in full flow, illustrated by Saka taking his turn to move from provider to scorer just two minutes and 20 seconds later, steering the ball home after Samba saved from Martinelli.
Brazil winger Martinelli would not be denied and scored the best of the lot on 27 minutes, finding the far bottom corner after cutting inside from the left.
The fifth came in first-half stoppage time, Odegaard perfectly timing a volley from 12 yards following Takehiro Tomiyasu's excellent cross.
Arsenal are the first side in Champions League history to have five different scorers in the first half of a match.
A more sedate second half followed, before Jorginho added a sixth from the spot following a handball by Abduqodir Khusanov.
Irresistible Arsenal power into last 16
It had appeared, around half an hour before kick-off, that Arsenal would progress to the last 16 without kicking a ball - only for PSV's remarkable comeback at Sevilla to force them to earn their knockout place on the field.
Mikel Arteta's side started this match as if annoyed at the inconvenience of having to do the job themselves, and wanting to get it done as swiftly as possible.
Through the smoke from pyrotechnics smuggled in by Lens fans, Arsenal were irresistible in the first half and particularly when scoring three in seven minutes.
They also played like they had a score to settle with Lens, a team they had not beaten in three previous Champions League games including the reverse fixture in Group B, which the French side won 2-1.
"Defeats give you a lot of things to think about and take the learnings from," Arteta said. "Credit to them, they are a really good side who are extremely well coached and make life very difficult for you but today we were very effective."
Saka, on the fifth anniversary of his senior Arsenal debut, was particularly redoubtable despite being frequently fouled.
His assist for the second goal was his fourth in five Champions League games. No Arsenal player has previously set up more than three in a single campaign.
The early onslaught appeared to put the record Champions League victory margin under threat - set by Liverpool and Real Madrid with 8-0 victories over Besiktas and Malmo respectively - however Lens avoided that indignity and will still reach the Europa League if they avoid defeat to Sevilla on 12 December.
Analysis - 'Really ruthless, really clinical'
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton, speaking on BBC 5 Live
An outstanding display from Mikel Arteta's team. They started the game strongly and got the first goal, then went from strength to strength. They eased off in the second half but it's job done.
They have so many talented players. Martinelli and Saka were helped by some really weak defending from Lens, but Arsenal were really ruthless, really clinical. Odegaard missed a couple of games, his importance to the team in the final third, his awareness, his vision, his ability to slide a ball. You know what you are going to get from Jesus in terms of tenacity but he took his goal well. They look like a really well-balanced team.
Arteta has set very high standards at Arsenal. They are now playing where the stakes are really high because they want to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League, which they did last season but they fell away. In the Champions League they want to show they can compete and go all the way.
How do they go about that? How are they going to win the Champions League? By maintaining that level all the way through, which isn't going to be easy.
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
- 22Raya
- 18TomiyasuSubstituted forWhiteat 45'minutes
- 2Saliba
- 6Gabriel
- 35ZinchenkoSubstituted forKiwiorat 45'minutes
- 8Ødegaard
- 41RiceSubstituted forJorginhoat 75'minutes
- 29Havertz
- 7SakaSubstituted forNelsonat 66'minutes
- 9Gabriel JesusSubstituted forNketiahat 82'minutes
- 11Martinelli
Substitutes
- 1Ramsdale
- 4White
- 14Nketiah
- 15Kiwior
- 17Cédric Soares
- 19Trossard
- 20Jorginho
- 24Nelson
- 25Elneny
- 31Hein
- 59Lewis-Skelly
- 63Nwaneri
Lens
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 30Samba
- 24GraditSubstituted forKhusanovat 62'minutesBooked at 63mins
- 4Danso
- 14MedinaSubstituted forMachadoat 45'minutes
- 29Frankowski
- 26MendyBooked at 41minsSubstituted forPereira da Costaat 76'minutes
- 6Abdul SamedSubstituted forEl Aynaouiat 45'minutes
- 21HaïdaraBooked at 64mins
- 7SotocaSubstituted forThomassonat 45'minutes
- 11Fulgini
- 9Wahi
Substitutes
- 2Aguilar
- 3Machado
- 10Pereira da Costa
- 16Leca
- 18Diouf
- 20Maouassa
- 22Saïd
- 23El Aynaoui
- 25Khusanov
- 28Thomasson
- 40Pandor
- Referee:
- Artur Manuel Soares Dias
- Attendance:
- 59,987
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away3
- Corners
- Home4
- Away0
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Arsenal 6, Lens 0.
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Kevin Danso (Lens) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
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Attempt blocked. Elye Wahi (Lens) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Neil El Aynaoui.
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Elye Wahi (Lens) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by William Saliba (Arsenal).
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Angelo Fulgini (Lens) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Kai Havertz (Arsenal).
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Goal! Arsenal 6, Lens 0. Jorginho (Arsenal) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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VAR Decision: Penalty Arsenal.
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Penalty conceded by Abduqodir Khusanov (Lens) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Eddie Nketiah replaces Gabriel Jesus.
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Attempt missed. Ben White (Arsenal) header from the right side of the six yard box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Martin Ødegaard with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Abduqodir Khusanov.
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Massadio Haïdara (Lens) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal).
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Reiss Nelson (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Abduqodir Khusanov (Lens).
Substitution
Substitution, Lens. David Pereira da Costa replaces Nampalys Mendy.
Player of the match
Gabriel MartinelliGabriel Martinelli
Arsenal
Avg
- Squad number11Player nameGabriel MartinelliAverage rating
8.90
- Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
8.84
- Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating
8.78
- Squad number41Player nameRiceAverage rating
8.69
- Squad number8Player nameØdegaardAverage rating
8.65
- Squad number29Player nameHavertzAverage rating
8.62
- Squad number18Player nameTomiyasuAverage rating
8.57
- Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating
8.45
- Squad number2Player nameSalibaAverage rating
8.40
- Squad number35Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating
8.01
- Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating
7.91
- Squad number20Player nameJorginhoAverage rating
7.82
- Squad number15Player nameKiwiorAverage rating
7.68
- Squad number24Player nameNelsonAverage rating
7.53
- Squad number14Player nameNketiahAverage rating
7.03
- Squad number22Player nameRayaAverage rating
6.83
Lens
Avg
- Squad number9Player nameWahiAverage rating
2.93
- Squad number10Player namePereira da CostaAverage rating
2.79
- Squad number6Player nameAbdul SamedAverage rating
2.77
- Squad number4Player nameDansoAverage rating
2.77
- Squad number26Player nameMendyAverage rating
2.74
- Squad number30Player nameSambaAverage rating
2.73
- Squad number28Player nameThomassonAverage rating
2.73
- Squad number29Player nameFrankowskiAverage rating
2.72
- Squad number14Player nameMedinaAverage rating
2.67
- Squad number21Player nameHaïdaraAverage rating
2.57
- Squad number24Player nameGraditAverage rating
2.55
- Squad number25Player nameKhusanovAverage rating
2.51
- Squad number23Player nameEl AynaouiAverage rating
2.48
- Squad number7Player nameSotocaAverage rating
2.44
- Squad number3Player nameMachadoAverage rating
2.43
- Squad number11Player nameFulginiAverage rating
2.40
Comments
Join the conversation
Given the heavy work all the PL "Superstars" made of it last night this was more like it.
Congratulations.
Top of the Group.
Add Declan UNBELIEVABLE Rice, Two masterful centre backs, outstanding full backs...what a team!
Best team since the Invincibles!
The feel good days are definitely here to stay!!
Well done on setting the record for the most goals scored in an half in CL history.
There's your headline. No jealousy tonight, please.
Glad to see Havertz getting that average Chelsea funk out of his system - at last!
Arsenal clearly didn’t want to show up Lens, so they didn’t go for the greatest CL win record in the second half.
Great to be qualified & rotating players as the focus switches back to the PL.
Winning the group as well.
Brilliant so far in the CL