Jurriën Timber puts Arsenal in the race with first goal against Lille

At the Emirates Stadium, the Dutchman Jurriën Timber broke the deadlock after 64 minutes with a brilliant opener, giving Arsenal an early lead against Lille in the Champions League. The goal came after a quick ball recovery and a precise chip over the Lille goalkeeper, putting the London club 1-0 on the board.

Man of the Match and further goals

Timber was named Man of the Match after the game, an accolade he shared with an impressive performance from his team. Just four minutes later Eberechi Eze doubled the lead, after which Bukayo Saka set the final score at 3-0.

Impact on the group standings

With the win Arsenal collected six points from two group matches, temporarily good for third place in the Champions League. Lille remained winless and sits 32nd in the group table.

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Reactions and compliments

Timber said: “My first assumption was right, and that was half the work. Then Noni Madueke shouted that I had to shoot, so I thought: okay, then I have to shoot. And then the ball flew nicely in.” He added that he was happy to have helped the team. The BBC gave him a 7 for his performance, while Football London awarded a 9 and praised his physical condition.

After the match Timber praised the medical staff of both Arsenal and the Dutch national team for their cooperation during the international break, which has supported his recovery from injury problems.

Arsenal now have fourteen consecutive wins in the group stage of this tournament, but had to work hard to find the first goal only in the 64th minute. Arsenal’s next match is scheduled against Nottingham Forest.