Olympiakos 1 - 0 Arsenal: Young Gunners can take heart from Olympiakos defeat

Published on Thursday 10 December 2009 00:19

Leonardo (47)

ARSENE Wenger's young Gunners put on a brave display but were defeated by Olympiakos in last night's final Champions League Group H clash in Athens.

With safe passage to the last 16 already secured, Wenger chose to rest most of his first-team regulars – with 18-year-old left-back Tom Cruise handed a debut and reserve captain Kyle Bartley playing alongside Mikael Silvestre, 32, in central defence.

It was, though, the display of Aaron Ramsey, still only 18 but already a full Wales international, which caught the eye, the teenager relishing in the role of midfield playmaker filled so well by rested captain Cesc Fabregas.

Indeed, but for some better finishing from England forward Theo Walcott – fit again following a hamstring problem – and the wasteful Mexican Carlos Vela, Arsenal's youngsters would have taken a deserved result from the game.

Ramsey, who saw a late effort cleared off the line, will probably be back on the bench when the Gunners head to Liverpool for Sunday's crunch Barclays Premier League clash – but on last night's evidence, the young Welshman certainly had what it takes to compete at the highest level.

On ten minutes, Walcott dashed into the right side of the penalty area, but his rising shot was parried by goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis.

However, Olympiakos took the lead at the start of the second half. Bartley upended Oscar Gonzalez, but the referee played a good advantage as Leonardo latched on to the loose ball and dashed into the left side of the area before slotting through Lukasz Fabianski's legs to put the Greeks within sight of the knockout stage. Arsenal should have equalised when Ramsey dashed clear to the edge of the 18-yard box before cleverly cutting a pass square to Vela, but the Mexican shot straight at the keeper.

Olympiakos: Nikopolidis, Galitsios, Avraam Papadopoulos, Mellberg, Raul Bravo, Galletti, Dudu (Domi 86), Maresca, Leonardo, Oscar (Pantos 90), Mitroglou. Subs not used: Pardo, Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Zairi, Georgios, Katsikogiannis. Booked: Leonardo.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Gilbert, Bartley, Silvestre, Cruise, Ramsey, Song Billong, Merida, Walcott, Wilshere (Sunu 77), Vela. Subs not used: Mannone, Coquelin, Eastmond, Ayling, Randall. Booked: Merida.

Referee: L Batista (Por). Att: 30,000