LONDON - Arsenal beat Sparta Prague 3-0 for a fourth successive Champions League win today to secure a place in the last 16 with two Group B matches to play.
Arsenal, who triumphed 2-0 in Prague two weeks ago with goals from Thierry Henry won at Highbury with a late double from substitute Robin van Persie after a superb opener from Henry.
Henry scored with a brilliantly executed inswinging right-footed curler after 22 minutes. Van Persie made it 2-0 nine minutes from time with a thumping shot from the edge of the area and added the third four minutes later from close range.
Sparta, who have now taken just one point from their four matches, rarely troubled Arsenal who were only prevented from winning by a bigger margin because of heroic goalkeeping from Jaromir Blazek and poor finishing from their own forwards.
In Group D, Manchester United's troubled season hit a new low when they lost 1-0 at Lille.
Slovenian Milenko Acimovic blasted in Lille's winner after 38 minutes to give the French side a deserved first victory and leave United manager Alex Ferguson under intense pressure.
United's defeat followed their 4-1 thrashing at Middlesbrough in the Premier League at the weekend and left them with only five points from their four group games.
Lille also have five points but the group is now led by Spain's Villarreal on six points after their 1-0 win at Benfica.
- REUTERS
Soccer: Arsenal reach last 16, Man Utd lose
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.