Arsenal vs Internazionale, 2003/04 UEFA Champions League, 2003 First Phase

· UEFA Champions League

Arsenal

FT
0 - 3

Internazionale

22': Julio Cruz
24': Andy Van der Meyde
41': Obafemi Martins

About

Arsenal are hosting Internazionale at Highbury, London, England, starting on . The match is a part of the UEFA Champions League.

Match Timeline

0': Can Arsenal make it an English treble after wins last night for Man Utd and Chelsea? Last season's semi-finalists Inter will have something to say about that at Highbury. Live commentary here from 19.45 GMT
0': Inter are without Vieri, and they sold Crespo to Chelsea, so 18-year-old Nigerian Martins will lead the Italian's attack.
0': This game is expected to be Arsenal's fluid attack against Inter's organized defence and the Gunners are hoping strikers Wiltord and Henry will be the men to unlock the Italian's rearguard.
0': The players emerge to the Champions League anthem, line-up, shake hands and prepare to kick-off....
0': Arsenal, wearing their usual red and white kit, get the game underway.
1': Campbell draws the first foul of the game from Cruz. Lehmann gets an early touch in the Gunners goal.
2': Gilberto fires the ball into Ljungberg and Cannavaro steams in with a a tough, but well timed, challenge.
3': Van der Meyde twists and turns on the flank. He fires the ball up the line to Cruz, who is fouled. The freekick goes back to Inter's defence.
4': Ljungberg bursts through the midfield and Zanetti opts to foul the Swede. Henry stands over the freekick.......
5': ...Henry fires a shot straight at the wall. Vieri controls the ball under pressure and spots Henry, who slices a shot very, very wide.
6': Vieira takes the ball down in midfield and slides the ball up to Lauren. Cannavaro steps in with a sliding challenge. Arsenal win a corner.
7': Inter probe the right but their attack stalls and Arsenal break. Ljungberg races towards goal and shoots wide from long-range when he had options left and right.
8': Lauren sets himself to cross and then knocks the ball straight to Cordoba with some sort of mad twitch.
9': Van der Meyde rides two challenges and then Campbell scythes him down. The Dutchman is looking like Inter's danger man.
10': Arsenal win a corner. Henry whips it in, Ljungberg is crowded out on the penatly spot and the ball ricochets over Toldo's bar.
11': Ljungberg slides the ball through the defence. Wiltord cuts the ball back from the byline...but straight into Toldo's arms.
12': Martins panics as he bares down on goal and a Lehmann, who was slow to come off his line, makes the save.
13': Ljungebrg skips past a lunge on the edge of the box and hits a tame shot, under pressure that bobbles through to Toldo.
14': Arsenal have started well, with Ljungberg causing the Inter defence all sorts of problems.
15': Gonzalez spots Martins forward run but can't deliver a defence splitting pass for his forward.
16': Emre fires the ball int0 Martins. The Nigerian tries to turn Kolo on the edge of the box but the defender makes the tackle.....just.
17': Van De Meyde finds space on the right and cuts in towards the box. He looks up for support but delivers a poor ball into the box. Arsenal clear.
18': Henry evades one tackle but runs straight into Materazzi. Inter then struggle to keep possession.
19': Martins stoops to nod the ball down for Cruz on the edge of the box. Cruz takes a heavy touch inot the box and Lehmann rushes of his line.....
20': ...Cruz's long legs get there first and the striker chips the ball over Lehmann and into the back of the net. GOAL!!!!
21': The goal came against the run of play and now Arsenal will be really up against it - Inter now have something to defend.
22': Gonzalez breaks down the left and crosses. Campbell out jumps Cruz but can only flick the ball on to Van De Meyde.....
23': ....Van De Meyde volleys a powerful shot from the right, Lehmann gets a touch but can't stop it and the ball nestles in the back of the net. GOAL!!!
24': Oh dear! Inter in total control now.
25': Inter are now brimming with confidence, stroking the ball around and winning freekicks when under pressure.
26': Emre makes a mistake in midfield and Wiltord takes possession as he sprints towards goal....
27': ...Wiltord pauses as Cannavaro considers making a tackle and Emre slides in to win the ball back for Inter.
28': Ljungberg and Materazzi chase a ball into the box, the Inter defender gives the Swede a slight shove and the ref blows for a penalty.....
29': A soft penalty to give-away. Henry steps up and fires the ball low to the right.....
29': ...Toldo dives the right way and palms the ball past the post. Great save.
30': Arsenal win a corner, but they should have had a goal. From the corner Gilberto heads narrowly past the far post.
31': Arsenal are still putting up a fight and there are some tasty challenges in midfield.
32': The Highbury crowd are trying to lift their team as The Gunners probe the left.....
32': ..Wiltord slides the ball into the area, but the box is swarming with black and blue shirts and Inter smother Arsenal's attack.
33': Van De Meyde wins a throw deep in Arsenal's half. Lehmann clears from the long-throw.
34': Gilberto gives possession away cheaply and Emre hits a ball into the box for Martins to chase...
35': ...Kolo is in a foot race with the Nigerian striker and just manages to get his foot to the ball first.
36': Kolo and Martins are having another physical battle for the ball and once again Kolo narrowly wins.
37': Gilberto plays a one-two with Henry and sprints into the box on the right. He looks up and attempts to chip Toldo.....
38': ...his chip sails over Toldo and drops over the bar.
39': Arsenal give the ball away in midfield and Van der Meyde takes over for Inter. He drives inside and slips the ball through the defence for Martins.....
40': ...The young striker evades Campbell's sliding challenge and hammers the ball past Lehmann from just inside the box. GOAL!!!!
41': Inter are really exposing the poor quality of Arsenal's defending.
42': Arsenal play Manchester United on Sunday and the Reds must be licking their lips at this performance.
43': Pires handles the ball in the Inter box and it drops to Wiltord. The French striker spins and shoots but Materazzi blocks the shot.
44': A long-ball from Toldo finds Martins on the wing, he leaves Kolo on his backside and drives into the box....
44': ....Campbell makes a covering run and sticks out a foot to block Martins shot. A close escape for the Gunners.
45': The ref blows for half-time and Arsenal breathe a collective sigh of relief.
0': Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has some serious tactical decisions to make at the break...although the game already looks lost.
45': Inter get the second-half underway. Arsenal have to climb a proverbial mountain.
46': Van der Meyde gets an early touch. His cross from the right is too deep and Lehmann collects the ball.
47': Cordoba breaks things up at the back and sprints down the wing. Lauren and Gilberto bundle him off the ball.
48': Inter look happy to keep possession. Lauren fouls Gonzalez.
49': Vieira attempts to force the ball through the Inter defence but can't beat Cannavaro.
50': Henry skirts the edge of the box. The Frenchman flicks the ball out wide and then takes a dive. No foul says the ref.
51': Pires combines with Henry. The French striker turns and hits a long-range shot over the bar.
52': Emre spots the run of Martins and hits a long-ball down the left flank. Martins battles with Campbell and the England defender uses his physical strength to win the ball.
53': Pires has the chance to put the ball in the box from a freekick....
54': ..Henry waits at the back post but a deflection takes the ball out for a corner. Toldo punches the ball clear.
55': Cannavaro breaks up an Arsenal attack but finds himself in trouble, takes a dive and the ref gives a freekick. Danger averted by Cannavaro.
56': Cole bursts forward but his cross is cut-out by the impressive Cannavaro.
57': Henry and Pires combine but Inter have time to get back and now have nine men behind the ball.
58': Ljungberg looks for a way through. Pires collects a pass from the Swede but is caught offside. Frustrating times for Arsenal.
59': Zanetti has space to shoot but Vieira covers the ground to make the tackle and spring an Arsenal counter attack....
60': ..Henry sprints forward but Inter get men back before Arsenal can get men forward.
61': Arsenal isolate Materazzi in the box, Wiltord shapes to shoot but the Italian defender makes an excellent block.
62': Wenger has had enough and makes two changes. Pires and Gilberto are replaced by Kanu and Bergkamp.
63': Arsenal's two subs are both former Inter players and will be keen to cause problems.
64': Inter follow suit and make a change. Emre, who has been disappointing, is replaced by Lamouchi.
65': Kolo hoofs the ball forward. Cannavaro misjudges the flight and allows the ball to bounce. Henry pounces and sprints towards goal....
66': ....Toldo stays on his line, Henry dribbles a poor shot straight to the keeper's feet.
67': Bergkamp challanges Materazzi and the defender collapses in a heap....I think the time wasting tactics are beginning.
68': Inter make a substitution. Van der Meyde goes off and the more defensive minded Helveg replaces him.
69': Zanetti shrugs off a challenge from Bergkamp and fires the ball forward to Cruz, who takes a tumble in the box....no penalty.
70': Lamouchi finds some space in midfield and fires off a 35-yard shot that Lehmann plucks from the air.
71': Cannavaro and Cruz work the left touchline.
72': Vieira hits the ball long for Henry but it trickles all the way through to Toldo.
73': Martins holds off Kanu and Zanetti wins a freekick on the left of the Arsenal area....
74': ....Cruz fires off a shot at the near post, but Lehmann is not going to be caught out again and makes the save.
75': Vieira keeps the ball well under pressure and spreads it wide. Ljungberg evades two challenges but they just keep on coming and Cannavaro makes a successful one.
76': Arsenal make their final change. Wiltord goes off and is replaced by Parlour.
77': Kanu holds off Cannavaro in the box. The defender looks to be pulling at Kanu, who goes down, but the ref waves play on.
78': Cole chips the ball to the back post where Kanu waits unmarked.....
79': ...Kanu hits a sidefoot half-volley straight at Toldo. That was Arsenal's best chance of the game.
80': Henry stands over a freekick on the edge of the box as the ref struggles to get the wall back 10-yards....
81': ...the French striker eventually whips the ball over the wall but Toldo shows a safe pair of hands in the Inter goal.
82': Inter make another change. Cruz is replaced by Kallon.
83': Martins hits the deck with a dramatic cry, under a challenge from Vieri. The ref isn't fooled, he gives the freekick and tells Martins to get up.
84': Cannavaro slices a clearance and Zanetti is allowed to head the ball clear without Arsenal putting in a challenge.
85': Bergkamp fires off a low long-range shot but Toldo saves without too much trouble.
86': Bergamp turns Cannavaro and springs an Arsenal attack. Kanu drives into the box and strikes a shot from wide on the right that Toldo blocks at his near post.
87': Kanu has proved a handful since his introduction but he was guilty of squandering the Arsenal's best chance.
88': Kallon plays a give and go with Zanetti that's too quick for the Gunners defenders and Kallon only has Lehmann to beat.....
89': ...the striker bends his shot past Lehmann but it strikes the post and the ball spins out to Martins, who shoots high and wide from a tight angle.
90': The ref blows the final whistle and the Arsenal players are greeted by both jeers and cheers.
0': Inter become the first Italian team to win at Highbury, with a convincing 3-0 win over Arsenal.
0': Hector Cuper's side were excellent, the referee was excellent, Arsenal weren't and they will have to pick themselves up after that result.

Game Information

Competition: UEFA Champions League

Venue: Highbury
Location: London, England
Attendance: 34,393

Line-Ups

Arsenal

No.	Name
1	Jens Lehmann (GK)
23	Sol Campbell
3	Ashley Cole
12	Lauren
28	Kolo Touré
8	Freddie Ljungberg
4	Patrick Vieira
19	Gilberto Silva
7	Robert Pires
11	Sylvain Wiltord
14	Thierry Henry

Arsenal Substitutes:

Graham Stack, Martin Keown, Pascal Cygan, Ray Parlour, Edu, Dennis Bergkamp, Kanu.

Internazionale

No.	Name
1	Francesco Toldo (GK)
4	Javier Zanetti
23	Marco Materazzi
13	Fabio Cannavaro
2	Iván Córdoba
5	Emre Belözoglu
6	Cristiano Zanetti
18	Kily Gonzalez
7	Andy Van der Meyde
9	Julio Cruz
30	Obafemi Martins

Internazionale Substitutes:

Alberto Fontana, Daniele Adani, Sabri Lamouchi, Luciano Siquera de Oliveira, Thomas Helveg, Okan Buruk, Mohammed Kallon.

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