Arsenal Crush Porto; Advance in Champions League

Arsenal put their Champions League worries behind them as they put on a soccer masterclass against Porto at the Emirates Stadium. Following two horror errors from backup goalkeeper Lukas Fabianski in the first leg, Arsenal came home needing a victory to move on in the knockout stages.

From the start it looked like it would be Arsenal’s day. After a weekend to forget, in which he missed four easy tap in goals, Nicklas Bendtner responded with the first hat trick of his career. Bendtner poked home his first in the 9th minute after Porto goalkeeper Hilario and Arsenal winger Andre Arshavin collided, spilling the ball in the box. He then tapped home his second in the 25th minute after Arshavin masterfully dribbled through three Porto defenders and squared the ball across the six yard box.

The tie was put to bed in the 63rd minute as Frechman Samir Nasri put on a show on the right side of the Porto 18-yard box. The Arsenal winger played a one-two with Abou Diaby before breaking the ankles of three Porto defenders with his nibble feet before drilling a low shot to the far post from close range.

Porto never stood a chance as Emmanuel Eboue netted the fourth just three mintues after Nasri’s goal, once again coming from a beautifully weighted through ball from Arshavin. Bendtner finished up his hat trick in the 90th, converting a penalty after Emmanuel Eboue was dragged down in the box.