Sport 26-11-2003 Five Star Arsenal Thrash Inter who: French striker Thierry Henry what: Scores twice as Arsenal reignite their Champions League hopes where: San Siro, Milan when: Yesterday snippet: "A night that even some Arsenal fans had feared would end with their team crashing out of Europe concluded instead with them wondering if they were watching potential champions," muses The Times` Matt Dickinson after watching Arsene Wenger`s "rewrite the record books for matches between English and Italian sides as they turned a wonderful victory into a breathtaking rout with three goals in the last five minutes." Arsenal, who needed to beat Inter Milan to give themselves any real chance of qualifying for the last sixteen in the Champions League, "brilliantly regained control of their destiny" says The Telegraph, as Thierry Henry powered in the London side`s first goal on 25 minutes. Inter equalized through a deflected Vieri shot that looped over goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, but Arsenal took the lead a few minutes into the second half. "Drawing Inter`s defenders wide, Henry slipped the ball through to Ljungberg on the edge of the six-yard box. The Swede was just onside and he took his time before clipping the ball past Toldo." 2-1 it remained until the 85th minute, when, says The Guardian, the irrepressible Henry "ran from the halfway line to trick Javier Zanetti twice before scoring once more from an angle." 3-1 up and "a stunned Inter capitulated entirely as Henry helped set up Edu before Robert Pires, assisted by the substitute Jérémie Aliadière, found the net to fashion a comprehensive revenge over the Italians." Manager Wenger was overjoyed after seeing his side put a record-breaking five goals past the Italians. " I am very proud of them because, when Inter scored, they could have felt everything went against them again. We needed character and persistence, he said. But the job is not done yet, he warns in The Times. "We have to beat Moscow and they are a good side." But Lokomotiv Moscow visit Highbury in a fortnight. For now, The Sun wants to celebrate another outstanding night for English sport. "This was one of those nights when you had to shake yourself at least twice to check it was not a dream. Arsenal were so unbelievably brilliant that even the Inter fans applauded them off at the end," purrs football writer Shaun Custis. "Yes, it`s a funny old game." [... more]

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