Arsenal vs Lens final score, result as Gunners hit Ligue 1 foes for six to reach Champions League knockouts

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Dom Farrell
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Bukayo Saka
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Arsenal hammered Lens 6-0 to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages with a swaggering display of total domination at Emirates Stadium.

PSV's 3-2 comeback win over Sevilla in the Group B early kickoff on Wednesday meant the Gunners knew a win was required to wrap up top spot with a game to spare and they went ruthlessly about their work.

Lens claimed a memorable 2-1 win over Mikel Arteta's side in the reverse fixture but fell apart after Kai Havertz's opportunistic opener.

Gabriel Jesus was the beneficiary of a barrelling dribble from Bukayo Saka, who turned home when Brice Samba pushed Gabriel Martinelli's shot into his path.

Martinelli then left Samba with no chance as he curled into the far corner, concluding a dizzying spell of four goals in the space of 15 minutes.

Arsenal vs Lens final score

  Fulltime Goalscorers
Arsenal 6 Havertz '13, Jesus '21, Saka '23, Martinelli '27, Odegaard 45+1, Jorginho (pen) '86
Lens 0  

Lineups:

Arsenal (4-3-3, right to left): 22. David Raya (GK) — 18. Takehiro Tomiyasu (4. Ben White), 2. William Saliba, 6. Gabriel, 35. Oleksandr Zinchenko (15. Jakub Kiwior) — 8. Martin Odegaard, 41. Declan Rice (20. Jorginho), 29. Kai Havertz — 7. Bukayo Saka (24. Reiss Nelson), 9. Gabriel Jesus (14. Eddie Nketiah), 11. Gabriel Martinelli.

Lens (3-4-3, right to left): 30. Brice Samba (GK) — 24. Jonathan Gradit (25. Abdukodir Khusanov), 4. Kevin Danso, 14. Facundo Medina (3. Deiver Machado) — 29. Przemyslaw Frankowski, 26. Nampalys Mendy (10. David Costa), 6. Salis Samed (23. Neil El Aynaoui), 21. Massadio Haidara — 7. Florian Sotoca (28. Adrien Thomasson), 9. Elye Wahi, 11. Angelo Fulgini.

The visitors belatedly steadied themselves and Facundo Medina hit the post with a blistering long-ranger, but there was more misery to come in stoppage time as Saka and Takehiro Tomiyasu combined to set up Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard to volley home a delicious fifth.

A more sedate second half followed, although Arsenal retained unwavering control throughout and Jorginho completed the scoring from the penalty spot after a handball from accident-prone Lens substitute Abdukodir Khusanov.

MORE: Champions League permutations, scenarios: What teams need to qualify

Arteta's fab five come good

As the formality of a lengthy VAR check followed Arsenal's opening goal, the narrative briefly shaped up that this would be Kai Havertz's night. After his late winner against Brentford that sent the Gunners to the top of the Premier League, the much-criticised Germany international had scored again, showing cool instincts to sniff out a poacher's finish.

Of course, the whole performance became about much more than Havertz, although his smooth pass to Martinelli before Saka made it 3-0 was another pleasing moment for the big-money buy. Form and fitness issues have prevented Mikel Arteta from fielding Havertz and Odegaard as dual attacking midfielders behind Saka, Jesus and Martinelli as often as he would have liked. This was the first-choice configuration mapped out during the early weeks of the season.

Not all opponents will be as accommodating as a self-destructive Lens were here but there was a lot to like. A team that has been accused of losing their attacking verve this season became the first English side to lead a Champions League game by five goals at halftime, while it was also the first time five different players scored in the opening 45 minutes in this competition. The specific identity of those players felt somewhat symbolic for the Arsenal boss.

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Can Arsenal win the Champions League?

Make no mistake, this victory and the manner of it against a team that stunned Arsenal earlier in the season will have made people across Europe sit up and take notice. As holders, Manchester City represent the current Champions League benchmark and there was something of Pep Guardiola's side in the ruthless and calculated manner in which Lens were taken down.

Of course, Arteta took plenty of cues from his time as assistant to Guardiola in Manchester and the 6-0 and 7-0 defeats of Shakhtar Donetsk and Schalke he witnessed from the Etihad Stadium dugout in 2018/19 came to mind during this one-sided shellacking. Aside from the goals — Martinelli's and Odegaard's were a particular delight — the sometimes cold calmness stood out. Arsenal were a side playing on emotion, often to their benefit but ultimately to their detriment, last season. Even as the intensity slowed during the second half, Lens did not have a sight of goal until stoppage time. They were penned in and pressed by a phenomenally well-drilled side.

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but as group winners — like City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich — Arsenal should get a favourable draw in the last 16. Then, on to the quarterfinals, who would you fancy most to beat City over two legs? Madrid and Bayern have been improved by Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane respectively after losing to Guardiola's side last term, but would you give either a better chance than Arsenal over two legs in this mood? Returning to the Champions League after a six-season absence once felt like an achievement for Arsenal. Realistically, they can now think about aiming much higher.

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Can Lens qualify for the Europa League?

Lens' stirring comeback win over Arsenal at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis was one of the most memorable moments of this season's group stage. As such, it was sad to see Franck Haise's men so utterly bedraggled. An inferior head-to-head record to PSV means they are now unable to finish in the top two, but if they can dust themselves down and avoid defeat against serial Europa League winners Sevilla on matchday six, a place in that competition will be theirs in the new year.

Arsenal vs Lens live updates, highlights, and commentary

Fulltime: Utterly dominant, emphatic and brilliant form Arsenal. A statement win against the only team to take points off them in this season's competitions. Six goals, six different goal scorers. Six months from now? Maybe they'll be in the hunt for the big prize. Thanks very much for joining us.

90th minute+1: Wahi has a chance to pull one back for Lens but Gabriel makes a brilliant last-ditch challenge and celebrates aggressively. He wants that clean sheet. Three additional minutes to see out before that's secure.

86th minute: GOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!! Jorginho (pen)!!!!

It is the Italy international, who sends Samba the wrong way. Six of the best!

85th minute: Penalty to Arsenal! Khusanov survives and does not get a second booking, though. Odegaard to take. Or maybe Jorginho?

84th minute: Khusanov is the subject of a VAR check for a clumsy coming together with Martinelli in the area. Ah, it might be handball. The referee is going to the monitor. Potential red card here too, with the Champions League debutant already on a yellow.

82nd minute: White glances a right-wing corner off target. Nketiah replaces Jesus and has a few minutes to try and join in the fun.

78th minute: Nice combination play down the right by substitutes White and Nelson. Samba collects the cross with one of his more assured pieces of goalkeeping this evening.

75th minute: Jorginho, wearing crushed velvet slippers and a smoking jacket, comes on for Rice with 15 minutes to play.

67th minute: Khusanov, who has plonked himself right on a tightrope is unceremoniously skinned by Havertz. The Germany international cuts it back to Odegaard. Samba almost makes a hash of saving the shot and Jesus is penalised for a foul in the ensuing scramble. 

66th minute: Nelson replaces Saka, whose battered ankles need take no more risks.

63rd minute: Khusanov tries a more robust approach to that particular problem and earns a booking for a foul on Martinelli within his first minutes on the field. Ooof, now Haidara is carded for scything through Odegaard.

62nd minute: Another change for Lens, with Uzbek international Abdukodir Khusanov replacing Gradit, who has endured a torrid time at the hands of Martinelli.

61st minute: Lens are through the first third of this second half without suffering any further damage. They will soon trn their attentions towards the draw they need to reach the Europa League. If they avoid defeat to Sevilla, their European campaign will continue.

54th minute: As you might expect, there's a bit of a testimonial feel to this now. Mind you, remember when I said the first half had started quietly?

46th minute: We're back underway. Arteta has changed both his fullbacks, with White and Kiwior coming on for Tomiyasu and Zinchenko. A triple change for Lens, with El Aynaoui, Machado and Thomasson on for Samed, Medina and Sotoca. Medina's withdrawal could be related to the knock he took during the first half. Thomasson scored Lens' equaliser in the reverse fixture. The circumstances here couldn't really be more different.

Halftime: Wow. Mikel Arteta started his first-choice front five and all of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard got on the scoresheet. It's the first time five different players have scored in the first half of a Champions League game. The Gunners are also the first English team to lead by five or more goals in the first half of a game in this competition. The less said about Lens, the better.

45th minute+1: GOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!! Martin Odegaard!!!

Arsenal's fifth of the half and that's the best of the bunch. Saka drives upfield from deep inside his own half. Again he combines with Tomiyasu, whose cross hangs in the air long enough for Odegaard to set himself and dispatch a sumptuous volley into the net. Glorious stuff.

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45th minute: Havertz and Saka combine to release Martinelli, who pops up on the right. He tries to batter it past Samba from a tight angle and ripples the side netting. Jesus was well-placed for the cutback. But, again, 4-0. Who cares? Apart from Gabriel Jesus, obviously.

43rd minute: Ball fizzed across the Arsenal box and Wahi, Lens' matchwinner in the previous game, can't capitalise. Arteta's men just ambling towards halftime slightly. Which I guess you can absolutely do that when you're 4-0 up.

40th minute: Against the post! Medina lets fly with a stunner from 25 yards that thumps off Raya's left upright. A bang on the head and he thinks he's Lionel Messi!

39th minute: Fulgini curls in a free-kick from the right. It's a dangerous delivery and Raya appears to clatters Medina on the head while making his clearance. The referee tells the Lens man to get up.

38th minute: A nice spell of possession for Lens. They've not created much but at least they can't let goals in while they actually have the ball.

31st minute: The Lens defence looks like its been thrown into a particle accelerator at the moment. Haidara clumps into Saka but not until the England star has got the pass off to Jesus. The latter's ball through to Martinelli is just overhit. There are gaps everywhere.

29th minute: "Are you Tottenham in disguise?" chortle the Arsenal faithful.

27th minute: GOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!! Gabriel Martinelli!!!

Just a list of goals this. What a life. The Premier League leaders absolutely running riot. Once again Martinelli has far too much room and can cut in to shoot once more. This time he curls it sumptuously beyond the helpless Samba.

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23rd minute:  GOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!! Bukayo Saka!!!

And another! Remember that sleepy start? Pah! Havertz releases Martinelli down the left channel. The Brazil winger chops back onto his right foot to shoot. Samba saves but fairly inexplicably pats the ball into Saka who can't help but score.

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21st minute: GOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!! Gabriel Jesus!!!

Cool as you like from Jesus, with a lovely touch and slotted finish. But that's all about Saka, who darted in form the right with a mazy run, bursting through several challenges and scattering Lens defenders all over the place, leaving Jesus to be the ultimate beneficiary. Arsenal cruising.

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13th minute: GOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!! Kai Havertz!!!

It's that man again. Arsenal's weekend matchwinner gives them the lead. Samed makes a hash of a headed clearance, Jesus makes a nuisance of himself and Havertz is on hand to prod home.

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11th minute: Ohhhh, close! Saka gets possession on the right and has Tomiyasu screaming for the ball on the overlap. He obliges and the Japan international stands up a cross. Havertz has a lot to do but he does it very well indeed, getting up to head fractionally wide from 12 yards.

10th minute: Compared to what's just unfolded in Seville and Istanbul, you have to say this is a very sleepy star. Some good pressing from the hosts forces Samba to hoick a clearance into touch.

6th minute: Patient build-up, typical of Arsenal this season. Zinchenko swings a ball towards the back post where Jesus prods wide on the volley.

1st minute: As the Lens smoke clears, off we go!

5 mins prior to kickoff: The teams will be with us momentarily. The Emirates Stadium crowd are being treated to the customary funky light show. The travelling fans have brought some pyro.

15 mins prior to kickoff: PSV COMPLETE THE COMEBACK IN STOPPAGE TIME!!!! Unbelievable scenes at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Substitute Ricardo Pepi with the winner for PSV. Sevilla were 2-0 up, had Lucas Ocampos sent off and capitulated at the last. That means the Dutch giants are on eight points, one behind Arsenal in top spot and three clear of Lens in third. Arsenal are still through with a draw and are group winners with a victory. If Lens avoid defeat they make sure of at least a Europa League place, although another win over the Gunners would bunch things up deliciously heading into the final match week.

20 mins prior to kickoff: Equaliser for PSV against Sevilla! A nightmare for Nemanja Gudelj, who puts through his own goal. As it stands, that means everything to play for come kickoff at the Emirates, although Arsenal only need to avoid defeat to qualify as group winners. 

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25 mins prior to kickoff: By the way, elsewhere in the Champions League, Galatasaray and Manchester United have completely lost their minds and are about to enter stoppage time.

35 mins prior to kickoff: There's been another twist in Seville, with Ismael Saibari converting Sergino Dest's cross to pull one back for PSV. Sevilla still lead 2-1. If they stay ahead Arsenal are through.

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55 mins prior to kickoff: This is how Lens line up. Fulgini and Haidara into the XI. Franck Haise will be hoping his 3-4-3 does the trick against Arsenal once again.

1 hour prior to kickoff: Here's the Arsenal team. Kai Havertz is rewarded for his match-winning exploits at Brentford with a start. David Raya is back between the posts as expected.

1 hr 5 mins prior to kickoff: Make that 2-0 to Sevilla! Youssef En-Nesyri doubles the advantage for the serial Europa League winners. Arsenal are heading through.

1 hr 25 mins prior to kickoff: On the other hand, pretty much all jeopardy from an Arsenal point of view can be removed before they even kick a ball tonight. Sevilla are 1-0 up against PSV in Group B's early kickoff thanks to Champions League old stager Sergio Ramos. If the scoreline stays that way, Arsenal will be through and only need to worry about avoiding defeat tonight to seal top spot.

1 hr 35 mins prior to kickoff: Having won three games out of four on their Champions League return, Arsenal's 2-1 defeat to Lens earlier in the campaign looks and feels like nothing more than a blip. Win tonight and book a place in the knockout rounds with a game to spare and the reverse at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis will have that status for posterity. But if Franck Haise's men can upset the form book again then there could be all sort of carnage on matchday six, with the Gunners potentially needing something from a trip to PSV. It's a scenario Mikel Arteta and his players will be desperately keen to avoid.

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2 hours prior to kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of Arsenal vs. Lens in the Champions League. If Mikel Arteta's men can avenge the sole blemish on their European campaign so far they will book their place in the last 16 with a game to spare.

Arsenal vs Lens lineups, team news

Arteta will go with his strongest available side as he looks to ensure qualification, with David Raya back in to replace Aaron Ramsdale. Raya was ineligible for the 1-0 Premier League win over Brentford because of his loan deal from the Bees.

Kai Havertz comes into the starting lineup after scoring the winner at the Gtech Community Stadium. Takehiro Tomiyasu retains his spot at right-back ahead of Ben White. 

Arsenal starting lineup (4-3-3): Raya (GK) — Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko — Odegaard, Rice, Havertz — Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.

Lens are missing some key players for this tie, with Deiver Machado and Oscar Cortes out injured, and striker Morgan Guilavogui suspended for the visitors.

Lens starting lineup (3-4-3): Samba (GK) — Gradit, Danso, Medina — Frankowski, Mendy, Samed, Haidara — Sotoca, Wahl, Fulgini.

Arsenal vs Lens live stream, TV channel

The Arsenal vs. Lens match from the Champions League kicks off at 8:00 p.m. local time from Emirates Stadium in London.

Below are the corresponding times, TV channels, and live streams to watch the match in regions around the world

Every UEFA Champions League Match. 4K UHD. Exclusive & Ad-free on Stan Sport. The Home of UEFA Champions League.

  Date Kickoff time TV Streaming
USA Wed Nov. 29  3 p.m. ET — Paramount+, ViX
Canada Wed Nov. 29  3 p.m. ET — DAZN
UK Wed Nov. 29 8 p.m. GMT TNT Sports 2 discovery+
Australia Thu, Nov. 30  7 a.m. AEDT — Stan Sport
India Thu, Nov. 30 1:30 a.m. IST — Sony LIV, JioTV
Hong Kong Thu, Nov. 30 4 a.m. HKT — beIN Sports Connect
Malaysia Thu, Nov. 30  4 a.m. MYT — beIN Sports Connect
Singapore Thu, Nov. 30  4 a.m. SGT — beIN Sports Connect
New Zealand Thu, Nov. 30 9 a.m. NZDT — beIN Sports Connect
Author(s)
Dom Farrell Photo
Dom Farrell

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK.

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