Arsenal 6 Ludogorets 0: Mesut Ozil hits hat-trick in superb Champions League win

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James Olley19 October 2016

Arsenal took a significant step towards booking their place in the Champions League last 16 for the 17th consecutive year after Mesut Ozil’s first hat-trick of his career helped the Gunners thrash Ludogorets Razgrad 6-0 at Emirates Stadium.

Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott continued their fine form with two expertly-taken first-half goals before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s close range finish and Ozil’s blitz ensured the Gunners’ secured their best start to a group stage campaign since 2009.

The Bulgarian champions put up a spirited fight but were ultimately outclassed and Arsene Wenger’s side will be confident of securing a victory in the reverse fixture on November 1 which could seal qualification with two games to spare.

Paris St Germain’s 2-0 victory over Basel ensured the French side remain level on seven points with Basel and Ludogorets trailing behind on a solitary point each.

Wenger made four changes to the team which beat Swansea last weekend with David Ospina, Kieran Gibbs, Francis Coquelin and Oxlade-Chamberlain drafted in; Granit Xhaka was left on the bench despite facing an impending three-game domestic ban.

Ludogorets have only reached the group stage once before and Arsenal set about asserting their authority from the outset.

Sanchez was typically industrious but Walcott had the Gunners’ first chance of note in the ninth minute, the ball falling to him inside the box but after his first shot was blocked by Natanael, he elected to try and square the rebound rather than try his luck despite having a clear sight of goal from close range.

Sanchez proved far more efficient three minutes later. Oxlade-Chamberlain released Sanchez down the left and he cut inside Cosmin Moti before noticing goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov had strayed off his line. There was still plenty to do but Sanchez floated a wonderful chipped effort over Stoyanov and into the net.

Arsenal were unable to settle, however, as Ludogorets proved a persistent threat on the break. Wanderson forced Ospina into the first of a series of saves, beating the ball away at his near post before a series of simple balls over the top caught Arsenal’s defence flatfooted.

The first enabled Jonathan Cafu to escape in behind the Gunners’ rearguard and although he beat Gibbs to the ball, he was unable to turn his effort goalwards with Ospina scrambling and the Columbian smothered the loose ball.

Arsenal continued to look menacing going forward – Ozil wasted a presentable chance after Moti’s dreadful clearance fell to him invitingly on the edge of the box – but there was agitation among the relatively sparse home crowd stemming from how vulnerable they looked at the back.

Virgil Misidjan latched onto another through ball which Shkodran Mustafi failed to intercept but Ospina rushed off his line sharply to snuff out the danger.

Misidjan was in the clear moments later and after Ospina dealt with the initial effort, Wanderson had another presentable opportunity but he dragged his effort wide of the mark from 18 yards out.

Just as the concern began to spread, Arsenal punctuated the first half with another sumptuous finish, this time from Walcott. The England international collected Gibbs cross with an excellent first touch before curling a fierce shot past Stoyanov from 20 yards out.

Arsenal extended their advantage a minute after the restart. Jose Luis Palomino was unable to clear Gibbs’ left-wing cross under pressure from Sanchez and Oxlade-Chamberlain pounced on the loose ball with a crisp side-foot finish past Stoyanov.

Ludogorets continued their search for a reply and Laurent Koscielny was required to make an excellent tackle to stop another breakaway and inadvertently launch a route one counter-attack as Santi Cazorla picked up the ball and played a pinpoint raking pass which Ozil latched onto superbly before finishing low into the net.

Cazorla came off shortly afterwards – appearing to grimace in pain as he slow-marched off the field – with Elneny on in his place before Lucas Perez was given a run out at Walcott’s expense for the final 28 minutes.

Oxlade-Chamberlain fed Arsenal’s third substitute, Lucas Perez, and he crossed for Ozil to smash home a fifth before the German completed his first ever senior hat-trick to round off an excellent evening for the home side.

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